


The future is in our hands

by Luna_Arsenica



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Karatoga AU, Multi, aka all mitsuki ships are good ships, celestial pilgrimage au, halloween grand extermination operation au, happy sparkle star au, mechanical lullaby au, month of mitsuki 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:08:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 24,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22981519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luna_Arsenica/pseuds/Luna_Arsenica
Summary: Collection of drabbles to celebrate Mitsuki's birthday, the whole month of march.
Relationships: Izumi Mitsuki/Inumaru Touma, Izumi Mitsuki/Isumi Haruka, Izumi Mitsuki/Izumi Iori, Izumi Mitsuki/Izumi Iori/Nanase Riku, Izumi Mitsuki/Kujou Ten, Izumi Mitsuki/Midou Torao, Izumi Mitsuki/Momo, Izumi Mitsuki/Nanase Riku, Izumi Mitsuki/Natsume Minami, Izumi Mitsuki/Nikaidou Yamato, Izumi Mitsuki/Oogami Banri, Izumi Mitsuki/Ousaka Sougo, Izumi Mitsuki/Rokuya Nagi, Izumi Mitsuki/Takanashi Otoharu, Izumi Mitsuki/Takanashi Tsumugi, Izumi Mitsuki/Tsunashi Ryuunosuke, Izumi Mitsuki/Yaotome Gaku, Izumi Mitsuki/Yotsuba Tamaki, Izumi Mitsuki/Yuki, Izumi Mitsuki/Zero
Comments: 1
Kudos: 64





	1. It's a Izumi thing

Mitsuki yawns. Waking up early wasn't easy after the third or fourth busy day, but he still jumped enthusiastically from bed, ready for anything the day wanted to throw at him.

At this point he already knew the order in which everyone woke up, but Sougo or Riku would probably stay in bed a bit longer considering they had work later in the day (after IDOLiSH7 started getting more and more jobs, they all had to learn to prioritize resting as much as possible, after all).

However, Iori needed to get up early today, so Mitsuki considered checking on him. He knew his little brother was responsible enough, a kid to be absolutely proud of, but he liked making things easier for him when possible.

He thought about knocking, but instead, decided to listen for signs of activity in case he wasn't awake yet. When he heard nothing, Mitsuki cocked his head to the side, puzzled. Could it be? Could Iori still be sleeping?

A part of him cooed at the thought of his little brother's sleeping face (cute!), the other debated whether he should let him sleep longer or not (he works too hard… but he'd certainly be upset if he was late because he overslept of all things, and as his older brother he  _ should _ protect Iori's dignity).

He finally decided he should see _just_ _how_ sleepy he was and see what to do then (hey, it's not his fault if his internal debates have a knack for finding solutions that make everyone happy), and walked in as carefully as possible.

He never needs to turn the lights on or have a flashlight ready to walk in his room - Iori has always been tidy, ever since he was a little kid that wanted to use adult scissor but just loooved his Usamimi Friends kiddy stationary. So Mitsuki made it to his bed even more peacefully than if it was his own room, carefully moving the curtains to let some light in. Iori seemed to stir at that, but after some sleepy mumble, his eyes remained closed.

Mitsuki couldn't help the loving sigh that escaped him as his hands went to his hips as usual. Iori  _ did _ work a bit too hard sometimes, and it's not like Mitsuki was one to talk (it probably was a Izumi thing), but maybe Iori was a bit young to have so much on his shoulders. Either way, he could understand clearly why Iori  _ wanted _ to do so much - it was crystal clear seeing the way he smiled everyday after meeting IDOLiSH7.

Mitsuki let the fondness and pride fill him and took the chance to move some locks of black hair from Iori's face, pinching his cheek lightly before planting a delicate but firm kiss on his little brother's temple.

His phone’s alarm was programmed to ring in some minutes anyway (why Mitsuki even thought Iori wouldn't have like five alarms set on a day when he had to wake up early was beyond him), so Mitsuki took a deep breathe to raise his spirit once more and walked downstairs to the kitchen to do what he was best at doing: spoiling his baby brother.


	2. two times three

On Valentine's day, Mitsuki took a chance. He had been doing it since the first year they spent together, but Yamato never raised to the challenge, and as such, Mitsuki was always left hoping in vain (at least, as an idol, having White Day marked in his calendar was just natural).

He knew he had to raise the stakes if he wanted results. That old man didn't have a romantic bone in his body, and getting him to make an effort about  _ anything at all _ always involved a battle of wills, so he had to be blunt about this.

So he was. Mitsuki had no problem being honest, but cornering Yamato was something reserved for helping him out of the many graves he dug himself daily, so he went with the approach that suited them and their relationship best:

he blew Yamato a kiss as he opened his Valentine's/birthday gift, a beautifully decorated, individual size dark chocolate cake lined up with fine bonbons, all homemade, and declared for what felt like the fifth time but was definitely just the third one “Remember to give it back threefold in a month!”

Of course, he wasn't expecting it to  _ actually work _ this time. The bright orange and white flower bouquet in front of his face took him completely by surprise.

“What's this?” he blinked slowly as Yamato pushed it into his hands, trying to look away and already starting to blush a bit (he really sucked at that kind of things, huh). The thing was huge, so Mitsuki had to do his best to find a way to hold it that didn't hurt any of the pretty flowers. He barely heard Yamato's shy reply, a very tiny “Your White Day gift”

Mitsuki looked at the flowers after hearing that. They  _ did _ look pretty expensive, and there were more than Mitsuki could count with a quick look. He had questions, but he  _ had _ to tease Yamato before getting to them…

“Uhmmm… These are sooo pretty, but I wonder if they're  _ reeallyyy _ worth three times my gift?” he pretended to examine the bouquet critically, as if his heart wasn't giving him a hard time staying calm at the fact that resident old man Yamato had just given him the cheesiest present in the world. And it did look like it took some effort, too...

“Wait, really? Just how much was that worth??” Yamato gave him that characteristic face he always put on when pushed by his teammates, the one that said ‘give me a break’ but also ‘I'll fix it if you're sad’. Mitsuki almost felt bad, but… “Uh, who knows. I  _ am _ a professional patissier after all…”

He would've faked looking at his nails, but he was too busy holding Yamato's strangely touching gift. He couldn't help the loud laugh after Yamato finally whined “Please stop bullying oniisan…”

Mitsuki got closer to pat his head, still laughing, and Yamato sighed “You're only taking advantage of me because I know nothing about that”

Mitsuki smiled softly once he was done making fun of the old man. He knew he was at least trying this time, so he kept patting his head like a little kid's “It's ok, it's ok! You did well! But…”

There was no sugarcoating this. He went for the kill.

“You never striked me as the kind of person to know about flowers either. Did you get your dad to help you with this?”

And  _ that _ was what got Yamato to go from ‘slightly shy’ to ‘full on furious blush’ “I only asked him if he knew any good flower store or something but he has like, a whole catalogue of florists, haha… I don't even want to think about why.....”

They both laughed, though Yamato's was more of the nervous kind and Mitsuki was just happy. If getting a gift for him helped him get closer to his dad, then that had to be good, right? He suddenly felt good to be so pushy.

“Mitsu…” Yamato looked at him, a bit too serious for Mitsuki's taste, and took one of his hands, holding it firmly “There was something else, I'm just not sure if I-...”

“I want it” Mitsuki took no time answering, not even letting Yamato finish his sentence, and was taken by surprise by Yamato's lips on his.

The hand tenderly holding Mitsuki's moved to hold him by the waist, bringing them closer to each other, and Mitsuki didn't want to squish the flowers but didn't intend to stop either.

_ ‘Not now. Not when it's _ finally happening…’

It was short (maybe Yamato realized the flowers were in the middle), but there were many more short kisses while they tried to pull apart from each other. Mitsuki planted a tiny one on Yamato's nose before finally moving away…

Just to set the bouquet safely on his bed and jump, clinging to Yamato with his legs and holding his face still as he gave him the most passionate kiss in his life.

The idiot took a bit to react, but then held him tight and tried to mumble something in between kissing.

Whatever it was, Mitsuki couldn't care any less about it.

\----- (BONUS) -----

“So, what were you trying to tell me?” Mitsuki played fool as they cuddled in his bed. Yamato choked, as skillfully straightforward as always.

“I didn't say anything”

“Really? I thought I heard something like  _ ‘I...' _ ”

“It wasn't me”

“...  _ lllloove… _ ” Mitsuki tried to sound as if he really was doing an effort to remember.

“No”

“I love you”

“I didn't say that. I didn't say anything” Yamato looked away, awkward like a teenager. Mitsuki tried not to laugh but couldn't help the smile as he answered “No, that was me”

Yamato's eyes opened wide and he blushed again, gulping as he answered “... me too”

They went silent, and whether it was comfortable or not, as usual, was hard to tell (Mitsuki was okay, Yamato was maybe starting to be, too), until Yamato broke it to ask “... How much was the cake worth anyway?”

Mitsuki only smiled “It doesn't matter. This was all I wanted”

Yamato rolled his eyes, but Mitsuki could tell it was just an attempt at regaining control. Mitsuki blew a kiss at his favourite 20-ish-years-old old man, which got him a real kiss.

The truth was, after a closer look at the huge bouquet, that it was worth much more than three times his gift. But of course, that was why Mitsuki would never let him talk about it again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's a bonus on this one because mitsuyama is like one of my first otps lol


	3. The fate we’ve hopped on is just like a rainbow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MItsuki day is Mitsukix2: Mitsuki meets his 5 year old self!

Mitsuki is not exactly bad with mornings. He starts every day early out of his own will, so he can make the most of it, and he usually keeps himself busy all day.

So, when he wakes up and still feels tired, he wonders what's wrong.

The first thing that's wrong is that he can see what is clearly a little kid standing beside his bed, and he's suddenly awake, startled. He doesn't know what to do until he realizes the second wrong thing: 

this kid looks  _ way too much _ like him.

Mitsuki is pretty sure he has no history of accidents that could lead to him having a child he doesn't know about, but the other alternative is so bizarre he can't really blame himself if he mentally revises his past affairs at least three times.

"I can't sleep" the kid says, tugging on his pajama’s sleeve when he sees Mitsuki is clearly awake. Of course, whatever it is that the kid is doing there, Mitsuki can't just scare a child that needs help, so he smiles as friendly as he can manage.

"Eeeh, why not? What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Mitsuki pats the kid's head, invites him to seat beside him in the bed and wonders what he'll have to do to help him sleep now that he realizes it's still the middle of the night - certainly not an hour where a kid should be out of home, which only makes this more and more strange.

"Nooope, I'm just not tired" the kid says, and even the way he speaks reminds Mitsuki so much of himself that he just has to take a shot and see  _ exactly how weird _ this is.

"I see, I see. What's your name?"

"I'm Mitsuki! And you, onii-chan?" the kid says innocently, unaware of the way that shocks Mitsuki.

"Waaah, my name's Mitsuki too! High five!" Mitsuki hopes he doesn't sound like he's freaking out because he is,  _ so much _ , but he shouldn't scare what is apparently his 5 year old self. Instead, he pinches his cheek affectionately and asks "So what do we do to make you sleep?"

"Play with me?" little Mitsuki shrugs, unsure himself but willing to give it a try.

"Fiiiine! Let me show you around, then!" Mitsuki gets up with a jump, but a very controlled one so he doesn't wake anyone else up. The last thing he needs is the rest of IDOLiSH7 seeing this and asking questions (especially the ones about what Mitsuki was like when he was a kid).

He turns the lights of his room on, wondering how long he'll be able to stay there before little Mitsuki gets bored, but his eyes light up immediately when he sees the way Mitsuki's room is decorated.

"You like Zero too?!" little Mitsuki is officially a bit too excited for this time of the night, and Mitsuki tries to calm him down a bit by talking in a lower volume himself.

"Yup, best idol in the world, right?" he ruffles his younger self's hair and takes a look around. He knows how his room's walls look, but he can't help admiring them sometimes.

"Yes! I'm gonna be like Zero when I grow up!" little Mitsuki is positively fired up now, but Mitsuki knows himself and he knows he has to waste energy to get tired, so he lets him.

"I'm sure you will" Mitsuki smiles, and when his eyes land on an IDOLiSH7 poster he points at it and comments, casually, like it didn't take him blood and tears, "I'm an idol too, you know?"

"Really??" 5-year-old Mitsuki looks at the poster, then at Mitsuki, and suddenly his eyes are bigger than Mitsuki remembers. He can't help a little giggle at that and he knows his smile is wider than his face by that point.

"Yup. Wanna see some pictures?" he offers, and when little Mitsuki nods enthusiastically he starts loading IDOLiSH7's official site for the best pics he can present.

It might be a really strange thing, but Mitsuki is pretty proud of how far he's come and now that he's got the chance to brag to his younger self, he's not going to let it slip with just a few candid selfies (though he  _ does _ look for the most kid friendly ones in his phone too).

The thing is, little Mitsuki is really,  _ really _ impressed by him after a few live pictures and digest videos, and when he looks up at Mitsuki his voice volume is already adjusted but his eyes tell Mitsuki he's about to ask for something he shouldn't get,  _ and yet _ ...

"So this is an idol's house?? Can I look around?"

And Mitsuki  _ really _ wants to say 'no' but instead he says "Uhmmmm, just a bit, okay? And be quiet, the guys are sleeping"

"You all live together??" little Mitsuki's eyes shine even more brightly when Mitsuki confirms the rest of cool guys in IDOLiSH7 live there too (Mitsuki doesn't ask who's his favourite. He doesn't dare), and Mitsuki gestures wildly so he remembers he needs to be quiet. Little Mitsuki covers his mouth with his two hands and nods, and Mitsuki has a hard time being even mildly irritated at him.

When all he can do is sigh and shake his head, hands on his hips, he wonders how his parents managed to discipline him in the first place.

It's not like he was being a bad kid anyway, so Mitsuki takes a peek through the half opened door before looking at his younger self with a finger on his lips and letting him out of the room.

He wasn't supposed to, but with how much energy little Mitsuki was spending just by getting excited at every little glimpse into an idol's daily life maybe a short tour through the dorms would be enough to finally make him feel sleepy.

Mitsuki wasn't expecting to be right when he hoped that, but after checking the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom, the entrance (why little Mitsuki was so interested in seeing everyone's shoes, Mitsuki surprisingly had no idea) and being repeatedly told he couldn't go into the guys' rooms, he looked tired enough to go back to bed.

Which, of course, was going to be Mitsuki's bed.

He sighed, carrying his 5 year old self in his arms, and opened the door to his room again.

He was hoping he could still get enough sleep even if he wasn't supposed to get up early, because he wanted to get extra training in the morning, but at least this looked like it was finally done.

When he put little Mitsuki to bed and was about to turn the lights off, the kid stirred and looked at him from the bed.

"Mitsuki-nii... do you think I can become an idol like you?" his voice sounded super sleepy, so Mitsuki wasn't worried that he still had some energy left, but he decided to take his worries into consideration.

Mitsuki had always been a bit insecure after all, even way before he started facing rejection after rejection, just from how everyone teased him and mistook him for a girl. He decided if he could help with that in any way, he was going to be honest.

"Yup. You're gonna be a super manly idol, I’m sure!"

Little Mitsuki smiles at Mitsuki's confidence, and when he turns the lights off and finally goes back to his bed he finds the kid fast asleep. He kisses his head softly, so he won't wake up, and lets himself fall asleep too.

When Mitsuki wakes up in the morning, he figures that it might have been a dream. He feels a bit tired, but he thinks to himself that it might be just be because the dream was so vivid and felt so realistic.

"I guess I really do feel like I was awake playing with a kid, huh" he mutters to himself, rubbing his eyes and turning his alarm off.

But when he looks at his night table again, he finds a scrap of paper he doesn't remember leaving there.

It’s a picture, clearly drawn by a kid, of him and 5-year-old Mitsuki dancing together. The picture has his name in it and many exclamation marks, like he was still really happy they share the same name, and it has one of the first attempts at an autograph sign that he ever sketched.

Mitsuki isn't sure how possible it is that last night events were real. He is even less sure of what the implications would be if they were.

But he decides not to think too much about it, and instead he puts the picture in a book, determined to take care of it as if it was drawn by his own son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this so I hope you liked it! the chapter tittle's from the lyrics of Pythagoras Fighter as translated by tumblr user seigyokus!


	4. A white picket fenced house and all the pack

“Mikki reaaally would make a perfect husband”

Mitsuki turned to look at Tamaki, King Pudding spoonful on his mouth, from his place in the kitchen. Typical from Tamaki, that really came from nowhere.

“Do you want me to make pudding for you?” he chuckled, but he wasn't mad at all. Tamaki beamed “Yes! … I mean it, though”

Mitsuki only smiled at that, half humming as he rolled some eggs for breakfast “I know, I know. Why do you think that?”

Tamaki took some time to think, fiddling with the spoon on his mouth in the meantime. The boy's reasoning was usually hard to follow, but Mitsuki was starting to get used to him and learning how to reconstruct the whole process with questions.

“Becaause, Mikki's food is suuuper good, and he's fun to hang out with, and he's good with kids, right?” Tamaki looked at him for a second, then added “Oh, and you're good at taking care of others”

Mitsuki turned the stove off, already done with the food, and turned to look at him, hands on his hips, fond smile on his face. This kid really was something else.

“You think so? Thanks!” he walked to IDOLiSH7’s youngest and patted his head “I think you'd make an amazing hubby too. And a great dad”

Tamaki hummed happily at the attention, but stopped when Mitsuki complimented him back. Mitsuki knew that Tamaki was uncertain about that sort of things thanks to that asshole of a dad he had, but he also knew Tamaki was far from a bad guy. Hearing that he thought Mitsuki would be a good dad was a huge compliment:  _ ‘you're like the kind of dad I wanted’ _ .

“Isn't it almost sad that we're idols? Especially when you're such a charming young man!” he pinched his cheeks, teasing him in a classical grandma-like fashion. In the back of his mind, he wondered if Tamaki ever had one himself.

“Mmhm. You can't marry, and you can't be a dad, but you ever thought about it?” Tamaki stared at his pudding, lost in thought. And Mitsuki usually didn't take long to answer that, because he had already decided to become an idol long before the age when boys start thinking about dating and the future of their relationships. But he decided to entertain Tamaki and actually picture it.

If it was Tamaki, they'd probably need a house with a big yard so he could play with the kids while Mitsuki made dinner, and he'd also need to have dessert ready in the fridge 24/7 for all the sweet tooths (including himself, of course). He'd have to teach him to be more tidy, of course, so he'd set a good example, but Tamaki could be ridiculously responsable when it came to teaching kids with his behaviour, so Mitsuki knew they'd be good.

All in all, it gave him a warm feeling.

When he noticed Tamaki looking at him, he pat his head again and smiled brightly “I never considered it, but if it was you then maybe I'd like it!”

Tamaki blushed, and quickly decided to avoid giving an answer to that by focusing on his pudding again. But he mumbled, as a last comment, with his mouth still full “It  _ is _ kinda sad then”

Mitsuki sighed and moved Tamaki's bangs away from his head before leaving a kiss on his forehead “Nothing is sad with you guys”

There was an unintelligible noise, then Tamaki looked up again, looking directly into Mitsuki's eyes “Promise I'll always make you happy?”

“Always”


	5. Reward

“You know, sometimes I'm a bit worried about that too”

Mitsuki didn't even think before casually commenting about one of Sougo's many troubling habits: his indiscriminate use of spice on his food. Sougo looked up from his plate of reheated curry and blinked, apparently still not getting it.

“Is it because of the ulcers? Tamaki-kun always worries about it too, even though I've already told him it has more to do with stress” Sougo looked so innocent as he mixed the tabasco sauce into the serving, turning it an alarming shade of red. Mitsuki shook his head, but he couldn't help the amused smile overtaking his face.

“Of course we worry! There's not much we can do about stress, so you should be careful about anything else you can moderate” Mitsuki sighed, trying not to be too harsh on his scolding (Sougo already had that other worrying habit of berating himself for absolutely every little thing he did, after all - Mitsuki didn't want to give him another excuse to start overthinking). His best effort at placating Sougo always came down to patting his head and smiling to reassure him he was still very much loved - this all came down to them not wanting any harm on Sougo ever, after all.

Sougo pouted just a bit, in silence, and Mitsuki sighed. He really had a soft spot for him, huh.

“You know what? Let's make a bet!” he quickly put his hands to his hips and winked playfully, doing his best to dissipate the guilt he knew was starting to form in Sougo's heart. When Sougo looked up at him, Mitsuki continued “I bet you can't spend a day without eating spicy food!”

Sougo seemed to understand Mitsuki's intent and smiled, albeit a bit shyly “What if I can?”

“Mmmm....” Mitsuki pretended to actually think about it for a second, then smiled mischievously “How about a kiss?”

Mitsuki laughed, but Sougo blushed and remained silent for a second, before stating “I'll do my best”

Of course, Mitsuki laughed it off while patting Sougo’s head, and didn’t think of much of it the rest of the day. It was long, but the hours went by quickly, like always, and before he knew it he was back at the dorms.

As soon as he walked in, though, Tamaki yelled at him from the other side of the living room “Ah!! There you are!!! Mikki, is Sou-chan ok??”

“What”

That… genuinely took him by surprise. Because he knew MEZZO” had to film a show together, he wondered why Tamaki was asking  _ him  _ if he knew that when he hadn’t seen Sougo since the morning.

“Ah, he was acting a bit strange today, right?” Banri looked up from the kitchen, clearly in the middle of cooking something for the kids. Mitsuki smiled and greeted him, still a bit confused, so Banri explained “He refused to eat anything spicy and said something about not wanting to disappoint you. Did you scold him or something?”

“Well. I guess I did” Mitsuki laughed, finally starting to understand. He wasn’t serious about that whole bet thing - Sougo should’ve known just from the simple fact that they never agreed to a punishment in case he failed (then again, maybe failing wasn’t in his plans from the begining? He  _ was _ an Ousaka after all….). He walked to Tamaki, sighing with a very amused smile on his face, and patted his head “But I think he’s ok! So don’t worry, I wasn’t too harsh on him or anything, he’s probably just reflecting on his actions in his own Sougo-ish way!”

Banri decided to imitate Mitsuki and pat  _ his _ head as soon as he washed his hands “Thanks for always taking care of the boys, Mitsuki-kun. Feel free to go rest while I finish dinner, ok?”

Mitsuki let out an embarrassed little laugh. He didn’t like being treated like a kid, but to Banri he probably was one, after all. He thanked him and went straight to his room, to at least drop his bag and change clothes.

A part of him couldn’t believe Sougo actually took that offer seriously, and the other. Well. Was wondering  _ why _ he couldn’t. It’s not like Sougo was known for taking everything seriously or something.

He chuckled under his breath and shook his head in disbelief. He had barely closed his room’s door behind his back and he was already turning on his heels and walking to Sougo’s.

He considered his actions a few seconds before knocking. If Sougo took him seriously, Mitsuki was the one who didn't want to disappoint  _ him _ , though the thing that was hard for Mitsuki to wrap around his head was if…  ~~ a kiss from him was really worth the effort... ~~

He shook his head to clear his thoughts right as Sougo answered from inside the room with his usual soft “Come in”

Mitsuki walked in with a bright smile on his face and a singsong voice “I heard someone was a good boy today~!”

“Ah, Mitsuki-san. Good night”

Sougo smiled from his seat in front of the desk, but he seemed pretty shy, so Mitsuki walked to him with his arms wide open. Sougo took the invitation as politely as usual, letting Mitsuki embrace him.

“You did well. Good work” Mitsuki patted Sougo's back softly. 

Sougo only nodded, leaving the papers he was working on in the desk and becoming unreadable in an instant “I didn’t want to let you down”

“You won’t!” Mitsuki slapped Sougo’s head lightly, then ruffled his hair with as much love as he could “That was just a joke anyway, I didn’t want you to brood too much about this morning’s conversation, that’s all”

It was just the truth, but it made Sougo freeze. Mitsuki must have made a noise or given some indication that he noticed Sougo’s stiffness and he shook his head, talking insecurely again “Then I  _ did _ let you down... Sorry….”

Mitsuki couldn’t help the sigh that escaped him as he distanced himself a bit from Sougo to cup his face and look into his eyes “You didn’t, ok? I’m here to praise you, so don’t overthink things too much! You did well!”

Sougo seemed to have a hard time holding Mitsuki’s gaze, but he nodded slowly “Yes. I’m so-”

“Noooo, you’re nooooot!” Mitsuki threw his head back laughing. When he managed to stop, he smiled at Sougo, still holding his face in his hands “You have nothing to apologize for and even if that  _ was _ supposed to be a joke, you still did your best. If you want your reward, I’ll still give it to you”

The time it took for Sougo to go completely red was probably record, at least from what Mitsuki knew, but he still nodded, gulping. Mitsuki couldn’t even hear his voice but he saw clearly how his lips moved, mouthing a silent  _ ‘yes’ _ .

Mitsuki and his soft spot couldn’t say ‘no’ to that.

The kiss was chaste, barely a touch to Sougo’s lips, but he didn’t want it to be short. He didn’t want Sougo to think this was  _ just _ a punishment for losing a bet. Mitsuki was, deep down, a bit glad that Sougo couldn’t tell a joke if it smacked him in the face - if that was what it took to finally kiss him like this, taking the lead and making sure to calm Sougo’s anxious, thumping heart, then so be it.

By the time they pulled away their hands were locked together, and Mitsuki gave Sougo’s a firm squeeze when he realised, smiling sweetly. He gave him a tiny peck and laughed, explaining “A bonus for always behaving so well!”

Sougo only smiled shyly at first, but then he giggled, giddy. Mitsuki could understand that feeling very well - he just never thought he provoked it in others.

“I’m kinda surprised you actually wanted it?” he commented casually, maybe blushing a bit himself. Sougo leaned against Mitsuki again, too shy to actually hug him back ever, and answered in a soft voice “Of course I did. Even if it wasn’t a kiss, I always want to make Mitsuki-san proud. Everyone likes being praised by you”

That sounded strangely funny to Mitsuki (or maybe he himself was feeling  ~~ embarrased ~~ giddy) and he chuckled “Then next time I’m gonna make you all make a line for pats!”

Sougo laughed softly too, and Mitsuki’s heart jumped a bit when he felt his arms finally surrounding him. It was a new feeling, but an amazing one, and he hugged Sougo tighter, kissing his head delicately, treasuring the moment.

He promised to himself this would be only the first kiss, only the first hug, of many.


	6. Cosplay

Mitsuki wanted to say he was already used to Rokuya Nagi at this point of their cohabitation but.

“Mitsuki! How do I look?”

But was that _ever_ going to be true?

“Like you want me to get mad at you?”

Nagi’s smile dropped like a kicked puppy’s and Mitsuki couldn’t do anything else but slap his forehead as hard as possible.

In front of him, Nagi was dressed in one of Zero’s outfits (not _the_ actual outfit, of course, more like. Cosplay.), arms open as if expecting Mitsuki to just jump into them. He could hear one of Nagi’s trademark _‘oh’_ and looked up, sighing.

“At least you’re not making me wear another one of those magical girl outfits” he tried to smile, and actually sat on Nagi’s lap to try and cheer him up. This was clearly not the reaction he was expecting from Mitsuki and it showed, and he didn’t want to make Nagi feel bad.

Even though….

He shook his head. Nagi could see he wasn’t too happy, of course, and cocked his head to a side (he really looked like a very fancy dog sometimes).

“Mitsuki? Why did you think I wanted to make you angry?” he combed Mitsuki’s hair softly, delicately, and kissed his head. Nagi was really loving and _that_ he could appreciate, relaxing under his touch. But when it came to actually answering his question, he frowned, eyes closed, and pouted.

“Mmmmmm….. I mean….” he wanted to find words that wouldn’t hurt Nagi. He already looked disappointed, and he probably only wanted to have fun, so that was no good. “Maybe it’s just me, but I guess Zero is too sacred to actually. Enjoy someone else trying to _look_ like him. Not if it’s like, a tribute or something, but… I don’t know…”

He was having a hard time articulating it, but Nagi was looking at him, smiling patiently as he continued pampering him. Mitsuki was starting to feel a bit like Tamaki, hesitating so much to find a way to say what he wanted to say and recalculating so much (and wasn’t that a bit enlightening about their youngest member’s feelings). In the end, he just sighed, and Nagi decided to let them be in silence.

The more Mitsuki thought about how to express his feelings about the matter, the more he thought Nagi _wouldn’t_ understand. Because to him, Zero was as important as Cocona was for Nagi, always giving him the strength to keep going and to smile even through the worst days... yet Nagi enjoyed making Mitsuki cosplay Cocona ~~maybe a bit too much for Mitsuki’s good~~.

He didn’t want to say it could be because Cocona _didn’t_ actually exist in the real world, while he had seen Zero with his own eyes. He didn’t want to say any more himself, so instead he looked at Nagi for a while, looked really deep into his mesmerizing eyes, before asking “Nagi. Why do you always want me to cosplay Cocona?”

“Oh! Because you look _very cute_!” Nagi smiled enthusiastically, his eyes shining at the mere thought. Mitsuki laughed weakly, trying not to get irritated, and instead kept talking “But isn’t she... Super special to you?”

Nagi just looked at him and smiled in a way that just said _‘your point being?’_. Mitsuki sighed, but he was smiling too before he realised it.

“I mean, you’re special to me too, of course! But… it’s not the same…” he drifted, unsure of what to say.

Luckily for him, Nagi always understood what was on his mind.

“ _Yes_. But to me, seeing you cosplaying Cocona is even more special” he kissed Mitsuki’s forehead before explaining himself fully “Because both Cocona and you give me strength when I feel weak, and just thinking of you I can smile under the heaviest rain while I wait for the beautiful rainbow that will eventually appear”

Nagi’s smile was as beautiful as always, and Mitsuki tried not to tear up at that. He gulped, always amazed at Nagi’s way with words. He wanted to laugh and cry and all sorts of things at the same time.

Instead, he just kissed Nagi, slow and delicate like he always was with Mitsuki. He could feel those feelings overflowing every time they were alone, which was why Mitsuki still agreed to meeting him on his room on his own, just the two of them, no matter how many times that had led to him getting in a dress. His own feelings for Nagi were overflowing too, he knew it, and he smiled into the kiss.

“Ok. Ok, maybe…” Mitsuki pulled away slowly, hesitantly, but he finally did “I get it.”

He didn’t say much, but he hit Nagi’s face with a pillow when he pecked him again.

“I was trying to speak?!”

“ _Oh! Sorry!_ ”

Mitsuki coughed, half jokingly and half serious “But well, you know. I guess you’re almost as handsome as Zero”

“Almost?” Nagi looked shocked, and Mitsuki hit him again with the pillow, laughing “You should be honored!”

When his bubbly laugh faded, they shared another moment of silence, much more comfortable after that talk. It’s not like Mitsuki thought Nagi was trying to offend him on purpose, but hearing his feelings about the whole matter really took some weight off his chest.

Nagi was 100% serious about this, both when it came to Mitsuki and when it was about doing it himself. He probably was sure Mitsuki would be happy that he was willing to do something like that for his sake.

So he finally smiled sweetly “Thanks, Nagi”

Nagi smiled back and kissed Mitsuki’s forehead, still caressing his hair, and whispered “My pleasure”

Mitsuki nuzzled him with his nose, just long enough to get the message across (it made him feel kinda silly to do it for too long), then added “Just try to ask next time you want to do something like this?”

Nagi nodded, taking a break from combing Mitsuki’s hair to squeeze him in his arms.

“Mitsuki….”

Nagi’s breathe on Mitsuki’s neck tickled, and he laughed a bit as he asked “Yeah?”

“I also just got Cocona’s new outfit on the mail today”

Mitsuki didn’t want their romantic moment to turn into a pillow fight, but an absolutely one-sided pillow massacre was okay with him.


	7. Warm winter nights

Mitsuki looked at his clock. 2 AM. It was too early to wake up on his own.

He listened to catch whatever could have awakened him, even though he already knew what it was.

Sure enough, a second or two later he heard another cough coming from Riku’s room, and he was up from bed in half a second.

The nights were getting colder, so their manager had dropped more blankets (and even quilts) on their dorm that week. Most were left at Riku’s room, naturally, but even the ones everyone else took to their own room were left by the door in case of emergency.

And that was precisely why Mitsuki found himself opening the door to Riku’s room and surrounding him with one of the blankets he had separated for that purpose in... What, 5 seconds? He was close and he rushed, so probably.

Riku looked almost apologetic as he tried to force a smile to reassure Mitsuki, but he simply rubbed circles on his back and asked “Where’s your inhaler? Do you need it?”

Riku shook his head, and took a deep breath to try and calm down. When he stopped huffing and shaking he leaned against Mitsuki, breath still a bit ragged but getting steady. Mitsuki patted his head, combing his hair lovingly.

“Want me to make some warm milk and honey for you?” he smiled and prepared to get up, but he still asked in case Riku would rather have Mitsuki stay a bit longer. He nodded, still looking a bit sorry but recovering that spark in his eyes that everyone loved about him.

Mitsuki went to the kitchen and immediately regretted not bringing an extra blanket for himself, or at least a hoodie. It was  _ freezing _ , of course Riku had a coughing fit. He jumped from one feet to the other and rubbed his arms to keep himself warm while the milk got ready.

He looked up to the ceiling, sighing. The things he did out of love.

Once the warm beverage was ready to help their beloved center, he went upstairs as fast as he could without spilling any of it.

Riku was being a good kid as usual, already tucked warmly in bed and starting to doze off. Mitsuki almost felt sorry to wake him, but he didn’t have to - Riku opened his big eyes himself when he sat on his bed.

“Ah, Mitsuki. Thanks” his voice was a whisper, likely because everyone else was sleeping and not because it hurt to speak, but Mitsuki still frowned. Riku looked up from the cup of steaming milk right in time to see it and made  _ that face _ he made that consisted mainly of puppy eyes “... Sorry I woke you”

Mitsuki’s heart made the ugliest thing ever where it tore because Riku didn’t have to apologize for something that wasn’t his fault at all but also he was probably getting a cuteness overdose and  _ fuuuuuck _ . He stretched Riku’s cheek in an attempt to cheer him up and smiled “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Iori usually beats me to it so I guess it’s ok if I take care of you for tonight, right?”

Riku’s eyes lightened up at that. Of course, they both wanted Iori to actually sleep well at least  _ one _ night during the winter, but also, this was Riku’s chance to be spoiled and he knew it. 

“So, Mitsuki~” he leaned against him again, holding his cup of milk tightly with both hands. Mitsuki decided to humour him, as much as he wanted to make sure Riku was okay and go back to sleep “Yes, Ri~ku~?”

“I love blankets and those quilts Manager brought are really warm, but I’d rather hug someone while sleeping~” he gave Mitsuki that smile that no one could refuse, and of course, Mitsuki was no exception. He’d readily give Riku anything he asked for, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t tease him once in a while...

“Oh? Is that an  _ indecent proposal _ I just heard, Riku?”

And oh, Riku’s face turning as red as his hair was fun when it wasn’t because he was running out of breath. Mitsuki had a hard time not laughing out loud.

“I, uh, i-it’s not-... I didn’t mean…! Uhm-” Riku’s panicked expression was always adorable, and Mitsuki kissed his head, holding him as a sign that he could calm down.

“I was just kidding. Of course I’m staying with you if you ask like that” Mitsuki smiled and joined Riku in bed when he made room for him. Mitsuki was a bit lucky that he was small because that meant he could usually fit in a single bed with another adult if they snuggled, which was exactly what they were about to do, but there was  _ no way in hell _ he’d admit that.

Riku was a snuggly bug, and Mitsuki decided to join him under the blanket he had wrapped around him too, holding him. He seemed to be breathing much more easily, and he sure looked content while drinking his sweet beverage of choice. Mitsuki sighed.

Any time of the day was good if Riku was smiling like that.


	8. Just one night

“Hey, Izumi” Gaku's voice didn't sound too drunk, probably the reason that he was the only one still awake besides Mitsuki, who had just woken up from his alcohol-induced nap and proceeded to lean on him. Mitsuki made only a vague ‘mm?’ to acknowledge him, too comfy to do more at the moment.

“Can I call you ‘Mitsuki’? At least just for tonight” Gaku smiled as confident as ever, even when Mitsuki could hear his heart thumping wildly on his chest. He looked up lazily and smiled “Sure. Can I call you 'Gaku’ then?”

TRIGGER's leader just shrugged “You can call me whatever you want, not just tonight”

Mitsuki let out a low whistle “Same, you flirt, as long as you remember this tomorrow”

Both of them laughed at that, maybe because everyone and their mothers knew that Gaku was far more likely to remember  _ anything _ about that night than Mitsuki.

But Gaku was a force to be reckoned with when it came to flirting (or, according to him, ‘being straightforward, because he didn't like beating around the bush’), and Mitsuki soon found an arm surrounding him, bringing him closer, and Gaku's voice whispering right on his ear “Well, maybe you can make sure I won't forget”

And Mitsuki loved how that sounded, how everything about his current relationship with Gaku felt. To think a while ago he was an unreachable star that Mitsuki could only look at on TV, and the closest he had to hearing his voice like that was listening to him with headphones on.

Yet that was the way things were now. They met and got along after some initial misunderstandings (from both sides), and they went through both really harsh things and some amazing stuff together, as rivals or coworkers, whatever the job required.

Mitsuki loved seeing that Gaku was really what he showed, he definitely was that earnest cool and manly guy Mitsuki admired. Of course, as someone who had tried to become part of the idol business for so long, he was not one to judge if the image people in the entertainment industry gave to their public was distant from who they really were in the privacy of their homes, but Gaku’s honesty was refreshing precisely because of that.

Precisely because Mitsuki was someone who wanted to inspire others by being himself, someone who wanted to be loved for who he truly was.

It did some good to his ego when Gaku praised him, for that and many other reasons. When he talked about how hardworking he was, how fun it was to hang out with him, how manly he could be (and if Mitsuki punched his arm for looking a bit too surprised he wasn’t going to apologize for that). How much he looked forward to meeting again.

Mitsuki sighed. He knew what Gaku wanted, and yet he knew he was a sloppy kisser when he was as drunk as he was at the moment. Still, he shifted to close the distance between them, still a bit lazily but eager.

Just as expected, he couldn’t do much in his current state, but Gaku was good at taking the lead and Mitsuki guessed there was no harm in letting him win sometimes (just not often enough for him to get used to it!), focusing on enjoying the kiss instead.

He tried some flirtiness himself when they separated, barely a few centimeters, noses still touching.

“Gaku...” his voice was barely a whisper, almost mouthing the name over the other man’s lips. Looking at his handsome face was hard with almost no distance between them  ~~ and still too much alcohol in his system ~~ , but Mitsuki could clearly see a smile, one that was only for him. He smiled back.

“Mitsuki” Gaku called back, and Mitsuki could swear it could become addicting. Maybe it was for the best if this first name basis thing was only for one night. Maybe it would be impossible for him to not jump on Gaku everytime he called him if this continued.

Or maybe he’d get used to it, and that would be the absolute worst.

Why think about it, though? Mitsuki swatted the bad thoughts away easily, it was so easy when Gaku was around just smiling like that, like anything was possible to achieve.

Mitsuki wanted to laugh. He wanted to feel invincible too, almighty. He needed so much, but to begin with what he needed to know was...

“... how do we make sure  _ I _ remember?”

Instead of laughing, Gaku gave him the smuggest look Mitsuki had ever seen in his whole life, because of course, he was  _ The _ Yaotome Gaku,  _ and _

“Leave it to me. I’ll make tonight unforgettable”


	9. A casual encounter

“Is that…?”

Mitsuki was more than a bit surprised to see Tenn in the middle of the crowd. He knew that Tenn liked to go to amusement parks on his rare days off, but he wasn’t expecting them to be free the same day, much less to go to the same park or  _ actually _ seeing him.

The place was packed, though, and of course Mitsuki couldn’t go around yelling Kujou Tenn’s name when he was obviously trying to blend in, just like Mitsuki himself, so it took him a while to reach him.

“Ah, it’s you” Tenn seemed surprised and like he was bracing for the worst when he felt someone tap his shoulder, but meeting Mitsuki’s bright smile instead of an over excited fan was more than a bit relieving. He smiled back at Mitsuki and bowed just a bit, as polite as always. Mitsuki appreciated the way he casually avoided calling his name too (truly a professional!), and he tried to strike a conversation “Didn’t expect to find you here!”

As far as Mitsuki knew, it could go anywhere from there when it came to Tenn - he could either reciprocate and keep the conversation going for a good while, even introducing new topics himself when they ran out of things to say about the first one, or give a short reply and keep it curt depending on his mood, available time, and maybe even the position of the stars that day.

“I like this place’s entertainment company. Their musicals are very good” Tenn looked almost enthusiastic, which meant Mitsuki was lucky - he could try to stretch their time together as much as possible “I come here often, but I never saw more than one or two of their performances! I’m usually busy playing around”

Tenn blinked, a bit confused “Do you usually come here on your own? I’m used to it because going out with Gaku or Ryu is hard, but it’s strange to see you alone”

Mitsuki considered teasing Tenn a bit, maybe asking if he was looking for Riku, but decided against it and instead explained “Yeah, I thought it sucks a lot that everyone’s busy today too, but I didn’t know what else to do and it’s been a while since I came here for some fun, so~”

Tenn’s smile was truly heavenly before he finally told Mitsuki what he wanted to hear:

“Well, we might as well keep each other company, then”

He wasn’t ashamed to admit he internally screamed sweet victory.

The thing about being with Tenn was that he was really quiet, but he knew a lot of interesting things about musicals and even other forms of entertainment, so watching one with him was basically an educational activity thanks to their post-performance talk over coffee and cake. Mitsuki enjoyed listening to him talk, especially when some of the stuff he said started calling his attention. Except that...

… when had he heard something about cabaret before?

“Those dance steps are actually very difficult to perfect, but she did it great” Tenn seemed to have a hard time not smiling that day, and a part of Mitsuki wanted to believe it was because of him even when he knew it was just Kujou Tenn being passionate about perfection.

He kept nodding while trying to remember.

Then it hit him.

In the middle of Tenn talking about another musical that company used to perform occasionally in that same park, it suddenly hit him.

It was from Riku.

“Hey, Ku-” he managed to cut himself off before calling his name, though Tenn’s sharp glare was a good reminder. When Mitsuki made a zipped lips gesture, he relaxed and his gaze turned inquisitive instead, urging him to continue “I heard that your parents had a cabaret-like place before. Was that how you learnt how to dance?”

Tenn seemed a bit tense, but he answered matter-of-factly “Well, of course. Everyone there was moved when I asked them to teach me what they were doing, so they were patient and kind with me”

Mitsuki listened in awe, surprised that Tenn was actually talking about his past as a Nanase. His smile was soft, but maybe a bit bittersweet, nostalgic “I’m sure they knew why I wanted to learn how to dance and sing, too”

It was a bit hard to watch, when Tenn had been smiling like a happy child all day before Mitsuki brought up his family. But seeing a new side of him, one that he usually kept hidden behind more than seven locks…. he felt honored.

He wondered if it was too much to hold his hand while they talked. Since Tenn didn’t try to move it away, he guessed it was fine.

“I guess they were a bit surprised by how quickly I learned, but there’s nothing you can’t do if you have enough conviction”

Mitsuki could only nod. He was right, of course - as much as it was easy to envy the perfect idol Kujou Tenn, everything was just the result of his own hard work. He was smiling before he realised it.

“You’re amazing”

Tenn blinked at him once again. Maybe their communication wasn’t going as smoothly as Mitsuki thought? Oh, but it wasn’t that...

“What are you talking about? I just called  _ you _ amazing”

Mitsuki was the one blinking at that, absolutely dumbfounded. When did he even hint at that??!

“Everyone’s always talking about how hardworking you are, and how you’re always training more than anyone else” Tenn wasn’t smiling anymore, but the earnest look in his eyes made Mitsuki feel even better than his angel smile. Right now, Kujou Tenn was complimenting him, from professional to professional “Looking at you, I realised it’s true. You really never give up. That’s admirable”

Mitsuki gulped, trying not to get too moved, at least not to tears  _ please _ . Tenn was actually praising him. That was no easy feat, yet Mitsuki had not only spent a nice day with Tenn, he was learning many nice things about him… including that he thought Mitsuki was  _ admirable _ .

He was internally swooning.

But of course, because he didn’t want to cry there, he laughed and thanked Tenn, letting him know how much he really appreciated the praise, and changed the subject. It was hard to keep paying attention after that, but by the time they walked out of the park, ready to go back home, he could say he had a blast on his day off.

“Well, I can say a date with you is as dreamy as they say, then!” Mitsuki laughed and smiled devilishly at Tenn before parting. Tenn shot him an extremely confident smile, though.

“Date? This was just a casual encounter” even the way Tenn moved his head was way too smooth, looking up proudly “Give me a few days notice to plan it and I’ll show you what a perfect date is like”

Mitsuki was taken a bit aback by that, not because he was surprised at Tenn being smooth as fuck - he  _ was _ an idol after all. But Kujou Tenn, TRIGGER’s center, modern day angel and proud perfectionist, had just implied they’d have another date?!

“Woah, wait there, don’t you think that may be too smooth for a barely legal kid?” he waved his hands in front of his face to dissimulate how flustered he felt just to think about a perfect date with Tenn (would it be like the ones he talked about in interviews...?)

“That never stopped me” Tenn winked, and it was then that Mitsuki knew it somehow was going to happen. They  _ were _ having a second date sooner or later, eventually.

Or rather, a perfect first date.


	10. Surprise

“ _ Haisai! Ganjuu yami? _ ”

Mitsuki was still a bit self conscious about the whole thing, about just ringing the bell to Ryuunosuke's house for a visit in which he was trying to give him a surprise, mainly because he wasn’t sure of how well that would go.

And, of course, Ryuunosuke’s confused expression was enough to confirm his suspicions - this was a very strange surprise.

“ _ Haisai! Ichunaaguchi hanasumi? _ ” of course, he was so surprised that he slipped into okinawan himself, apparently… Mitsuki was a bit unsure about going on with this after that, even as Ryuunosuke moved aside to let him in.

“ _ Uu, ufee hanasun _ ......” Mitsuki definitely was starting to doubt himself, but more than anything his own ability to learn other languages. He should have asked Nagi for help when he could….

Ryuunosuke frowned a bit, and Mitsuki worried that he might have offended him by failing so bad at his mother tongue. But he tried to stay positive, since he couldn’t know that without trying!

“ _ Wakaran _ ” Ryuunosuke spoke again, and with just one word eased most of Mitsuki’s worries. He wasn’t mad, he simply couldn’t understand what Mitsuki was saying because he was  _ that bad _ at okinawan.

Mitsuki tried to stay calm, but he was starting to get so nervous he could feel his tongue twisting “ _ W-wwasaibinn _ ”

Ryuunosuke just smiled, kind as usual, and patted Mitsuki’s back “It’s okay! I was a bit surprised that you were suddenly talking in okinawan! When did you learn?”

Mitsuki sighed. Okay, the surprise worked in the sense that it  _ did _ surprise Ryuunosuke, but probably failed in the rest of aspects. He looked up with a sheepish smile and explained “I thought about trying to learn at least a bit a while ago. Nagi said something that made me think about you so I decided I might as well try”

In private, Ryuunosuke could make such cute expressions one would have a hard time believing it without seeing it if all you knew was his ero ero beast public image. The way he tilted his head, curious, was too precious!

“Nagi-kun? What did he say to make you think of me?” he really looked like he couldn’t imagine someone else thinking of him without seeing or listening to him, the naive sweetheart. Mitsuki couldn’t help smiling at that.

“He said that, as a foreigner, he understands you a bit because not having someone to talk to in your native language is kinda lonely… even isolating" Mitsuki laughed a bit, remembering the conversation "I thought, maybe Tsunashi-san feels lonely. No wonder you go full okinawan when you're drunk!"

Ryuunosuke let out a loud laugh at that. He had been patiently listening to Mitsuki with a soft smile on his face until then, but at that point he burst out laughing. He looked embarrassed, but he was so earnest it was contagious.

"I guess I should be more careful with how much I drink if I revert to okinawan so hard no one understands a word I'm saying" he scratched his head while laughing, definitely embarrassed after all, and smiled once he managed to calm down the laughter.

" _ Nifee doo _ "

Ryuunosuke's voice sounded so sweet Mitsuki knew he should know what he was saying, because everything indicated he felt very moved by the whole situation, but he didn’t quite understand that....

"Uhhh.... What"

"Thank you" Ryuunosuke smiled with all the love in the world as he translated for him, and Mitsuki started feeling self conscious again. But they were not done yet “If you wanted to learn okinawan you should have asked me! I don’t really have any experience teaching it, but I guess we could figure out something? If you’re willing to give it a try I should, too!”

“Well, that sounds like the best option, yeah…” Mitsuki was a bit embarrassed about it, because that was the obvious way to go, but he definitely wanted it to be a surprise for Ryuunosuke! But now that he had surprised him, it made sense to have him helping.

Ryuunosuke nodded energically, his smile almost looking excited “Then, our first lesson is…”

He looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled again “ _ Majun wuduibirani _ ?”

… yeah, Mitsuki totally didn't understand that and he knew it showed on his face. Ryuunosuke smiled again, offering a classy bow and his hand as he translated himself “Would you like to dance with me? Since we're idols I thought it was fitting”

Mitsuki let out a hearty laugh, but he nodded. It  _ was _ fitting for them, and he wouldn't miss a chance to be embraced by Mr. 2nd Most Desired Embrace if he got paid for it.

But it was also cute how Ryuunosuke hummed a melody as they twirled together. He really was glad of all the choices that led to that moment, embarrassing as they were.

But his thoughts freezed when Ryuunosuke dipped him, their eyes locking in a moment that felt eternal.

“ _ Shichusaa _ ”

Mitsuki gulped. He thought he heard that before, that he  _ might _ know what it meant, but…

He could feel himself blushing as he asked for clarification, because he  _ needed _ to confirm it, but he was pretty sure just from Ryuunosuke's flustered face that he said what he thought he said...

“I love you”

Mitsuki almost felt a physical dam breaking inside him, his feelings overflowing, taking full control of himself. He hanged onto Ryuunosuke's neck for support and almost doomed them both to the floor when he kissed him.

All in all, Mitsuki's surprise probably went well. At least, if it led to him kissing Ryuunosuke silly, he could say he'd do it again.

When they pulled away, Mitsuki treated himself with the sexy scenery that was Ryuunosuke's flushed face right in front of him, eyes intense and provoking. His answer to that rolled out of his tongue naturally.

_ "Chyuura kagi~" _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did my best to find some okinawan for this and uhhhh, this is what came out of that! this was mainly from omniglot and okinawan shorinryu, here's the meanings of the phrases used:
> 
> haisai: hello  
> ganjuu yami?: how are you  
> ichunaaguchi hanasumi?: do you speak okinawan?  
> uu, ufee hanasun: yes, a little (reply to the one above)  
> wakaran: I don't understand  
> wassaibiin: sorry  
> nifee doo: thank you  
> majun wuduibirani?: would you like to dance with me?  
> shichusaa: I love you  
> chyuura kagi: good looking person
> 
> anyway, this one sure was hard.... OTL Hope you liked it!


	11. Jewelry

When he finally arrived to the meeting place, Mitsuki looked at his phone's screen to see the time and check if he had any unread messages. Everything seemed fine, so he just decided to check the closest stores for a while.

“Guess who~!” he was  _ really _ startled when he felt two hands covering his face, but even if the whole situation and the ring in that middle finger weren't enough clues, the singsong voice talking was.

Mitsuki just lowered the hands away from his eyes and turned to see Momo, smile as bright as Mitsuki's own “There you are! I've been waiting for hours!”

“Am I that late?! Sorry, I had a hard time finding a parking spot just now!” Momo stuck out his tongue and winked, and Mitsuki couldn't help but laugh. He was right, anyone would forgive anything if he just acted cutely.

“Just kidding, I got here a bit early but that's just an habit I have, you're not  _ that _ late” they started walking as Mitsuki talked, mainly wandering “I was ready to wait longer in case something came up, though, considering I'm taking the time of such a busy person”

They both laughed at that, but it was true. Momo pouted after that, though, shocked by Mitsuki's words “You don't actually mean that though?! I wouldn't leave you hanging like that, what kind of senpai would that make me?”

Mitsuki chuckled just a bit “I  _ did _ mean it, but no ill will here, it's just the true. Being the VIP you are anything could happen, from last minute inconveniences like paparazzis in your home to someone recognizing you on your way here and making a fuss”

Momo let out a soft defeated laugh at that, but countered firmly “Guess it really can't be helped, but you're starting to get kinda VIP-y yourself so I'm not tolerating this insubordinance!”

They did their best to not attract much attention but they couldn't help laughing.  _ That _ ? They both knew Momo was the one who didn't mean that, but Mitsuki hoped they had an easy day anyway. At least until then, just wearing a cap was enough for his incognito outings, but Momo was quite minimalistic himself so Mitsuki could only pray that Re:vale fans were quiet people.

When they approached the jewelry section of the mall, Mitsuki confirmed “So, you wanted something for your sister right? Is she tacky like you or does she have good fashion sense like Yuki-san?”

“That's suuuper mean, Mitsuki! You know Momo-chan's fashion sense is the real deal™️!”

If Mitsuki had to choose only one thing he loved about being with Momo, he'd pick how they never really got to catch their breath from how they were constantly laughing. That was only if he had to pick one, of course - he liked everything about Momo Re:vale.

“I want something delicate for her because I want it to clash with how wild she actually is” Momo stuck out his tongue again, which meant he was joking “She's totally gonna get mad at me if I don't get her something super amazing, though, so help me out here”

Of course, Mitsuki knew Momo wouldn't need help picking a gift when he was always on point about what to get for others, so he'd definitely know what to get for someone as close as his own sister, but he still nodded “As long as you help me get something cute for Tsumugi-chan”

“Sure, sure! Manekko-chan is such a good girl, she deserves a treat!” Momo nodded as they looked at the store windows. That was the deal they made - Momo needed to get something for White Day for his sister, a token of gratitude, and Mitsuki would take the chance to get something for his manager too while they were at it.

In the end, it didn't take a lot to pick some nice gifts for the supporting girls in their lives, and Mitsuki ended up learning that Momo actually knew a lot more about jewelry than he would've imagined (he wondered briefly if he had ever part-timed in a jewelry store, and the mere thought made him smile - Momo's sparkling eyes and his bright smile would fit right in with all the precious gems there).

They stopped for coffee in a cafe at the food section, since they could stay a bit longer, considering no one had approached them yet. They made their orders, and as soon as they were left alone Momo put his hands on top of the table, in the distance between them, and urged Mitsuki to do the same. He took one of Mitsuki's hands in his and smiled “Wanna see a magic trick? Close your eyes”

Mitsuki was a bit surprised. He didn't know what to expect, because Momo was unpredictable, that was just his brand. So he just closed his eyes as he was told and felt something cold surrounding his wrist. His heart skipped a bit at the implications before he was finally instructed to open his eyes again.

What he saw was a beautiful, sober silver bracelet, lined with a few orange tourmalines. He gasped, breathless for a second. It wasn't even delicate or girly looking, it was a nice manly present. If they weren't in a public place he'd have kissed Momo right then and there.

When Mitsuki looked up, Momo was smiling at him with what he could only describe as adoration. He could still feel his heart jumping, but he smiled back “Thanks. When did you even get this?”

“Well, you know I always have some tricks up my sleeve” Momo smiled as confident as only he could, absolutely smug, and shrugged as he pulled a little box from said sleeve. Mitsuki assumed it must be the one where the bracelet came and put it safely into his bag, still chuckling at Momo's antics.

The way back home was peaceful, since Momo offered to drive Mitsuki to IDOLiSH7's dorm (he joked about how Mitsuki deserved it for having to wait precisely because Momo was on his car and parking was hell), but they managed to keep the energy up by loudly singing along to every song on the radio all the trip.

It was a bit amazing how no matter how much energy they spent, Mitsuki never felt tired when he was with Momo. It almost felt a bit like the way to immortality.

“I'm gonna be lonely without you now, but I guess I have to give you back or all the kids are gonna fight me!” Momo laughed out loud one last time as a farewell. Mitsuki just smiled back “Guess you wouldn't want that, huh? They can be surprisingly scary when you least expect it! Especially Sougo”

Momo pretended to shiver in fear “Yeah, he's the last one I wanna fight, even for you”

They looked into each other's eyes. This was a normal part of each of their dates, not wanting it to end. Not wanting to have to go each their way. Even if only in that moment they had a chance to kiss, the fact that it was a goodbye one made it usually short.

They still managed a smile when they pulled apart, ready to encourage the other to be patient. Mitsuki had never imagined romance to be like this, but this was a grown up relationship between two responsible adults, so it made sense, in a way. He finally walked out of Momo's car and waved at him from the door of his home enthusiastically, letting out a last joke:

“Don't miss me too much, Momo-san, I'll make sure to bother you very soon!”

The way Momo smiled at him as he drove away made Mitsuki think he'd be doing the same thing as himself as soon as he got back home: counting the days until their next meeting.


	12. The way to a man's heart

The sound of the food processor made Mitsuki look up from the lettuce he was slicing, making him stop in his tracks again. He couldn't help occasionally taking breaks just to look at Yuki, unfairly beautiful even while preparing a meal, making this record time for Mitsuki in the kitchen - he had never taken that long to make a simple broth and spring rolls.

_ ‘At least the rice is already done’ _

He sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead, barely realizing Yuki staring back at him. He was smiling, and Mitsuki must have looked silly because he laughed softly, a delicate, peaceful thing pouring the recently finished tomato sauce in a bowl.

“What?” Mitsuki sounded puzzled, genuinely curious to know what was in Yuki's mind.

“Nothing” the man in question smiled, almost cryptically, as he stirred the sauce idly “I guess I don't get to cook with other people often"

Mitsuki wondered if Yuki meant something like he was happy to have the chance, or he found something Mitsuki was doing funny and he didn't know other people cooked like that.

He decided to let it slip completely when Yuki brushed a lock of hair away from Mitsuki's face and tucked it behind his ear, still smiling softly.

"Yuki-san, you're so handsome..."

The words were out of his mouth before he knew it, and that only made Yuki burst out laughing, not delicate or soft in the slightest.

Mitsuki didn't even have time to wonder why he had such a strong reaction before Yuki himself explained, still chuckling, "You sound just like Momo"

“Ah. I guess I get it now, huh..." Mitsuki was a bit shocked to be compared to Yuki's partner, but he couldn't help his reaction. Yuki was truly beautiful, to the point he was still unfairly pretty even as he choked in his own laughter.

Yuki smiled while he recovered his breath and asked "You never made vegetarian food? I thought you would've, working in a cafe and all"

"I mean, we sell all kinds of food but I guess it's more of a bakery" Mitsuki finally finished slicing all the vegetables that would go on the spring rolls filling "More than anything, I wanted you to teach me food you like, so I can make it when we have parties"

"Why? You can just buy something vegetarian and I'll be happy, as long as you have good wine" Yuki couldn't stop smiling as he prepared the spring roll wrappers, and Mitsuki now understood the true meaning of the term 'whiteout'.

"I mean, I always make homemade food for everyone and make sure it's done  _ exactly _ the way they like it, so it would be kinda unfair if I don't do the same for you" he explained, pure honesty in his words, eyes focused on the vegetables he was stir frying so he didn't have to look straight into the pale blue of Yuki's.

"You kids are all really good, aren't you" Yuki sounded pleased when he cupped Mitsuki's face and made him look up. His smile looked flattered and endeared, and when he kissed Mitsuki softly he didn't know how to react.

Yuki might really be too much to handle, Mitsuki thought in that moment, the sound of bubbling oil the only thing connecting him to reality in the middle of the dreamy kiss.

When Yuki pulled away, Mitsuki was left gaping like a fish out of water, face probably looking really stupid considering Yuki's reaction: another loud outburst of laughter.

Mitsuki shook his head to regain control of himself and turned the stove off after confirming the vegetables were done, and looked at Yuki with a confused look.

Yuki, hand hovering over his pretty mouth and still trying to recover his breath, just smiled at him like this was something to be expected.

Mitsuki wasn't sure if that was something normal for Yuki Re:vale, but he knew after that he was more than willing to meet and cook together again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> quick disclaimer that I didn't even bother looking for recipes for this, I just wrote whatever without even paying attention to the cooking part lol I still hope you liked it!


	13. The flower of the flock

"Manager? What are those flowers?"

Riku's voice calls everyone's attention to the flower vase in Tsumugi's desk, where a bouquet of pink flowers was neatly arranged.

"Ah, those? They're pink lilies, Mitsuki-san brought them!" Tsumugi looks up from her computer screen to acknowledge her talents and smiles brightly at them as she talks about the flowers.

But, despite her cheerful reaction, what Mitsuki was expecting would happen when he decided to buy flowers for Tsumugi finally  _ did _ happen - a deafening silence from his teammates, followed by impressed 'oh's, fills the office room.

"Getting flowers for Manager? You're getting bold, Mitsuki!" Nagi sounds not only impressed, amused, but also fired up "Do I finally have competence?"

"It's not like that at all??!!" Mitsuki stomps his feet a bit and jumps to hit Nagi's head as hard as he can, but Nagi is absolutely not the only one who suspects his good intentions.

"Mitsu, that's low of you, though...." Yamato fixes his glasses and throws a shit eating grin at Mitsuki, and makes him want to punch it out of his face when he shrugs and adds "We're all here thinking you're not going to do anything and you pull this kind of stuff out of nowhere..."

"I didn't do anything shady?" at this point Mitsuki can feel himself blushing, but he sighs, doing his best to not lose  ~~ a lot ~~ of face "Geez, can't a guy get flowers for a girl friend?"

"Mmm... Maybe we should get presents for Manager more often..." Sougo at least sounds more thoughtful than mocking, and Mitsuki feels grateful for his efforts to redirect the focus of the conversation "She does so much for us after all"

"Are you fine with just flowers, though, Manager? Wouldn't you like sweets better?" Tamaki, as simple as always, reminds them all that their manager might be more moderate than him but she's as much of a sweet tooth.

"Ah, I'd love both!" Tsumugi smiles, but she looks more embarrassed than grateful for the offer, and explains "But it's not like you need to start getting me presents! Mitsuki-san said he only found them by chance anyway"

Mitsuki scratches his head, definitely embarrassed himself, and sighs. He can still feel his face burning.

Even though getting presents for Tsumugi  _ is _ something he feels like he can do casually, any time he feels like it, because she'll be grateful no matter what as long as it comes with good intentions, he knows exactly how it looks.

He is only being honest when he says it's a present as a friend, but he knows he'd be lying if he said he doesn't feel that way about her.

"Well, I mean. They reminded me of Manager and I thought she'd like them, that's all!" he concludes with a huff, hands on his hips out of habit before he even knows.

"My dad would probably give him an earful if he knew, so try not to tease Mitsuki-san a lot when he comes back!" Tsumugi tries to be helpful in making them shut up, but all she ends up doing is summoning the deafening silence once more.

If all members of IDOLiSH7 can feel their faces turning blue out of dread at the same time, it might just be because they're all  _ that _ connected.

"Right... I guess we should stay quiet if we want Mitsu to keep working with us, huh" Yamato crosses his arms and makes himself smaller, as if to hide himself before he can be involved in the hypothetical carnage they're all imagining.

"Would Boss really go  _ that _ far?" Tamaki sounds nervous but tries to be as positive as he can be before he quickly adds "But I agree we shouldn't, he gets scary when it's about Manager"

"Understandable, but I agree that we must protect Mitsuki-san" Sougo's voice sounds more serious than usual and Mitsuki just wants the Earth to swallow him when he thinks he might be right to be taking things so seriously this time.

"Well, no point in just eliminating rivals with dirty tactics" Nagi shrugs and agrees to the pact between gentlemen in his own way.

"Nagi, aren't you taking this too seriously?" Riku laughs nervously as he pats Mitsuki's back, making him realize that he's slumping, discouraged.

"Nii-san, please be more careful next time" Iori joins Riku with a hand very softly resting on his shoulder and a reassuring smile, like the ones he uses to soothe their center (the same ones Riku complains about for looking like Iori "is trying to hypnotize him").

Mitsuki almost can't stop himself from slipping to the floor slowly, exhausted.

"It really isn't like that..."


	14. Messing around is the spice of life too!

"Are you sure you don't need to rest?" Banri asks for the fifth time in the past hour, like he didn't hear Mitsuki's reply the other four, a worried tint to his words "There really isn't anything else you want to be doing?"

"I told you I'm fiiiine~" Mitsuki looks up from the bento he's ensambling to smile at Banri, as energetic as possible in an attempt to finally convince him.

"I know, but it's your day off, Mitsuki-kun" Banri sighs and gives him an apologetic smile, hands too busy to pat his head like he probably intended to do.

"If it wasn't you my parents would probably ask me if I can help out, don't worry!" Mitsuki can't help letting out a loud laugh as he pictures the situation, but he still feels the need to clarify "And, I mean, I don't really have plans because everyone else is working today, so I might as well help you out!"

"Well, if you're really okay with it, I appreciate the help" Banri's smile softens, much more relaxed and loving than before, as he focuses on the rest of bento boxes lined up on the table "Since you're really good at cooking too"

"It's all good" Mitsuki reassures him one last time, casually, but he can't help letting his true intentions out "I miss spending time with you too, anyway"

Banri has some kind of reaction to that that Mitsuki can't really identify from beside him, and it's so quick that by the time he turns to look at him it's over.

"You kids have been really busy lately, that's true...." Banri's smile looks nostalgic as he looks up to the ceiling for a second, before looking at Mitsuki, tilting his head to the side and asking "Where do you wanna go when we're done here?"

Mitsuki blinks a bit at the question and doesn't really answer, confused. When a few seconds pass and he's still silent, Banri laughs softly, positively endeared.

"I'm treating you to lunch" he explains with a chuckle, as good natured and looking as much of an impossibly perfect husband candidate as always "I'll finish this early thanks to you, so you can pick whatever you want"

"Eh? Even yakiniku would be fine?" Mitsuki has to remind himself to be conscious of the working space when he moves too quickly and almost knocks a few things over, shocked at the proposal. It's been a while since he had the time to go out with Banri, let alone one-on-one, and the idea is making his heart thump so hard he isn't sure it's not going to come out of his chest anytime now.

"Mmmm... I think I can make it work" Banri thinks about it for about a second or two, most likely mentally arranging for the budget, but he looks as excited as Mitsuki when he turns to smile at him and that's the last thing he needed when he's already having a hard time controlling himself.

"No way, really?!" Mitsuki can't hide his excitement at all, and he's hugging Banri before he realizes it, as hard as if he wanted to squeeze the air out of him "Thanks, Banri-san! You're the best~!"

Banri only laughs and hugs him back, a much softer but still firm squeeze, and they stay like that for a little while. Mitsuki can't believe he's gotten to the point where he likes everything about someone so much, to the point that even getting to breathe in Banri's cologne is relaxing, but he's there now and there's no turning back.

Banri is a pretty much dreamy man, and Mitsuki can't help feeling giddy and lucky that things ended up like that just because he wanted any excuse to spend some time with him.

He'd trade a full day off on his own for half a day off together with Banri any day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter tittle is from Pythagoras Fighter's lyrics, as translated by tumblr user seigyokus. hope you liked it!


	15. It's not just a coincidence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> light mentions of alcohol/drunkenness here

The high after a live is always chaotic for Mitsuki (for everyone, really, but he can only speak for himself), and at their parties, where alcohol is dispensed like water for all the adults, sometimes it gets hard to think things through.

It gets even harder when people start falling asleep left and right, and Mitsuki has the annoying tendency to fall first then wake up when everyone else is finally down. It’s not easy when the only one left awake is the company’s president and he invites him to sit closer and they end up having a whispered conversation.

The atmosphere feels overly intimate and Mitsuki has already been feeling like letting himself go all night. The softness of Otoharu’s hand in his shoulder finally breaks something inside him and he locks eyes with him, a bit lost in the man’s eyes that he rarely gets to see, much less from this close distance.

"Are you happy that you scouted me?" the words escape Mitsuki's mouth swiftly, before he realizes it or he can stop them. He gulps and immediately regrets it when he sees the stern look on Otoharu's face at the question.

"I wouldn't bet something as important as IDOLiSH7 to talentless idols" Otoharu sounds mildly offended at the question, understandably, but his expression soon softens into a kind smile as he pats Mitsuki's head "You have what it takes, Mitsuki-kun. I mean it"

Mitsuki feels very vulnerable and emotional in this situation, at this time of the night and with so much alcohol in his blood, and it’s really difficult to hold back like this. It’s almost impossible for him to hold back the tears that start popping in his eyes when he sees just how serious Otoharu is when he compliments him like that  ~~ let alone the fact that he’s at least as drunk as Mitsuki himself ~~ . He tries to hide his face in the man’s  ~~ warm, comfy ~~ chest and play it off by pretending he’s just cuddling.

Otoharu just combs Mitsuki’s hair, loving and patient, and whether he’s ignoring Mitsuki’s obvious bluff to be considerate or he’s too drunk to realize he doesn’t care.

"You're also my favourite kind of man" Otoharu’s voice is really soft when he speaks right in Mitsuki’s ear, a short pause for impact ~~that absolutely works~~ "A reliable one"

When he hears those words Mitsuki can’t help it anymore. He starts sobbing, and before he can stop himself he’s bawling, all while Otoharu rubs circles on his back and kisses his head until he gradually calms down.

He knows, even in his inebriated state, that he’s going to be okay. He can trust Otoharu, and if he says Mitsuki is worth it, then there’s nothing left to discuss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter's tittle is from Nanatsuiro Realize lyrics, hope you liked it!


	16. In your own sweet way

Even though Mitsuki hadn't been helping out at his family's shop in a while, he still took time out to go occasionally, so that he wouldn't get too homesick when baking at IDOLiSH7's dorms. The atmosphere always felt familiar, like it was still the same as when he was a kid no matter how many years went by, so even if he was there to work it helped him relax. That day, he felt a bit happy that he decided to go back home when he saw a familiar green haired head pop into the bakery while he finished cleaning a table.

"Welcome to  _ fonte chocolat _ " he called, trying to keep his smile as business-like as possible while hiding the impulse to prank the kid.

"Eh? You work here?" Haruka looked about as surprised as Mitsuki expected, and looking probably much cuter than he meant to in the process.

"Well, this  _ is _ my family's bakery!" Mitsuki laughed softly, proud of his roots.

"I guess you guys  _ did _ say your family has a bakery...." Haruka mumbled, apparently still shocked at the coincidence, but ready to let go of it as they walked towards the counter.

"Are you getting sweets for a girl~?" Mitsuki teased him, pretty aware that this kid was a sweet tooth already but playing fool just to pull his leg.

"No way, they're for ZOOL" Haruka explained, still blushing and looking away embarrassed, and Mitsuki barely held back from pinching his cheeks.

"So, what were you looking for?" he asked, instead of pointing out how bashful he was acting about meeting friends, and focused on showing off all the cakes lined in the exhibitor.

Haruka looked very interested in a few and like he had a hard time picking, and Mitsuki wondered if it was okay to treat him to something in addition to making small talk for about a second before he decided there was nothing wrong with wanting to be closer to a fellow idol (and one of the few school friends of his loner little brother).

"Tell you what? I'll throw in something extra for you if you tell me a fun story from school" Mitsuki proposed, hands on his hips as he sighed, mocking worry "Iori talks so little about it you'd think he has no friends!"

"I mean, he kinda doesn't but okay" Haruka rolled his eyes and sounded as smug as he could, feigning superiority and annoyance in such a bratty way Mitsuki couldn't help letting out a little chuckle, but he still looked  _ so _ obviously excited at the possibility of getting extra sweets his eyes were pretty much sparkling.

"Ah, I know! The other day, Yotsuba was talking about this game and being all smug and he wanted us to try it to compare scores so I got your brother distracted imitating a cat" it took a few seconds of thought for Haruka to come up with an anecdote, but it started as endearing as Mitsuki expected, so he could say it sounded far from disappointing.

"Are you good at meowing?" Mitsuki did his best to sound genuinely interested and not condescending. It was hard because he couldn't help picturing the kids playing games during recess and how much that made him want to make them line up for head pats, hugs and some good spoiling.

"I'm good at a lot of things" Haruka stated matter-of-factly, trying to look as cool as he could, but still pretty happy about it before he resumed and finished the story "Anyway, I also beat Yotsuba's score too, so there!"

"Well, that  _ was _ a funny story" Mitsuki laughed, actually happy that he got at least a little glimpse of the kids' school life (and maybe some lead to tease Iori or get more info on the story from Tamaki), and he packed a few cookies he just baked for Haruka to throw in with the cakes he managed to pick "Here, have fun with ZOOL. Send them my greetings and feel free to come by our place one day!"

"Mmm... Maybe I will!" Haruka looked a lot more happy than Mitsuki had ever seen him before when he took the bag with his order and Mitsuki's gift and walked out the door, and his smile when he turned to greet him before leaving the shop was brighter than he imagined.

Mitsuki sighed as he recovered from the unexpected sight. He was right when he thought that Haruka was actually a sweet kid deep down, even after all they'd been through, and he finally got proof for it.


	17. An old dog learning new tricks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once more mentions of alcohol/consumption of alcohol

When Touma asks Mitsuki if he wants to go for drinks after work, he doesn’t know what to think, but he also figures it’s a good chance to get to know each other better. They haven’t had much time to talk but Touma looks like a nice guy, and Mitsuki feels a bit curious about him, in more than one way.

Of course, because he wouldn’t want to impose on someone from another group to care for him if he drank too much, Mitsuki tries to stay on the moderate side, and apparently Touma is the kind to control his alcohol intake too, which is good (in the way that Mitsuki had never been out drinking with someone who knew ~~and respected~~ their own limits). He knows neither of them is drunk, but they’re both in a jolly mood, conversation flowing pretty easily from both sides, and he soon finds out they’re also in the right mindset for a more intimate, completely honest talk.

"So you've always wanted to be an idol?"

Touma's voice breaks the cheery atmosphere with a strangely serious tone, a question that could have been just as festive as the rest of their chit chat but is asked in a very earnest way instead.

"Since I was a kid, yeah. I've always wanted to be like Zero" Mitsuki does his best to respect the new atmosphere, even his smile looking more calm than before "What about you?"

"Mm... It was a coincidence, or like, a thing that just happened, but I really liked it" Touma's smile, too, is soft and a bit nostalgic, almost bittersweet but certainly on the sweeter side "Once I walked onto a stage I knew I didn't want to stop anymore"

He looks so different to the Touma Mitsuki is used to and he can't help but think of all the pain he must have felt when NO_MAD dissolved. The truth is, Mitsuki knows what it feels like to be rejected and hurt, like no one cares about you - what Mitsuki can't imagine is how terrible it must be to have your dream come true, hold it in your hands for an instant, and then have your own fans turn their backs on you. Mitsuki can't help the sympathy he feels and he's patting Touma's back before he knows it.

"Glad you're back on the business, dude" Mitsuki can feel the effects of the alcohol on his mind, having a hard time to convey his feelings properly, but still tries "I can see you're serious about it so, like. Keep doing your best"

"Yeah, I mean... I can see now that I made a lot of mistakes, and I was just lashing out and stuff" Touma's eyes look a bit watery, and Mitsuki can totally relate to the feeling of not wanting to cry but feeling a bit overwhelmed by different feelings "It doesn't make it any better that I know why I did what I did, but I guess it's just..." 

Silence. It takes a second of thought for Touma to find the words he says next, and his voice sounds even softer, like he wants to hide those feelings so they'll never turn against him.

"At least now I know that I have to start trusting our fans, as hard as it is. I owe them that much"

"Well, yeah" Mitsuki replies without a second of hesitation. When he thinks of his fans, he’s got nothing but certainties - they’re all precious to him, each of them, because they make it all possible. His fans are the ones that remind Mitsuki everyday that all his efforts were worth it in the end, that he really can make his dreams come true regardless what all those producers said before. He sighs and leans on Touma’s shoulder, his hand slipping to intertwine their fingers without thinking "I know it's hard to trust again, but this time I think it's gonna be okay. I know you can do it"

"You know what? When I look at you I wonder how you can be so strong" Touma’s eyes lock on Mitsuki’s as he squeezes his hand firmly, and they don’t look so hurt and fragile anymore, a determined look in them instead "I guess what I'm trying to say is... I'll try to treasure my fans as much as you do. I'll... I'll make things work this time, so they can be happy too"

"I feel the same" Mitsuki can almost feel the tears starting to form in his eyes and he blinks them away, closes his eyes as he smiles calmly "I hope we have a long time here, all of us"

  
When the silence turns comfortable between them and they’re still holding hands a few minutes later, Mitsuki is glad he got to share that moment, and feels no regret when the time comes to part… not even the usual ones ~~such as forgetting how he even made it back home~~.


	18. Hitting the right note

It's been a while since Mitsuki was free after work, and when he was just about to get his stuff from the changing room to go out with the program's staff, he happened to overhear someone commenting that Minami is currently in the building filming something.

It takes about two or three seconds to find out where and if it would be too inconvenient to drop by to say hi, and not long after he gets the 'ok'.

Mitsuki can't say he's used to seeing movie scenes being filmed yet - it's always an experience, especially when it's a cast full of big name actors, and he's genuinely immersed by the time the director calls for a break.

"Hey, Natsume!" Mitsuki approaches him as soon as the break starts, pretty excited to meet again "Is ZOOL spoiling you properly?"

Minami greets him back, but makes a strange face when Mitsuki asks that. It looks a bit sad and, along with a long sigh, it makes Mitsuki throw a confused look his way.

"It's not their fault. I guess they're trying but I don't know if they understand much about me" Minami's expression looks almost worried, a hand hovering over his mouth as he speaks, voice even softer than usual.

Mitsuki is a bit surprised, considering he always thought everyone in ZOOL was doing their best to make Minami feel better and all, and yet, if they're missing the mark that's not their fault but it's still unfortunate. He thinks about it for a second and his face lights up with an idea.

"Is there anything you want? I don't mind doing something nice for you if you need some extra spoiling!" Mitsuki smiles, reassuring, and barely stops himself from patting Minami's head (he remembers in time that he still has some filming to do, so he shouldn't ruin that hairdo!).

"Mmm... I've heard you're very good at cooking, Izumi-san" Minami comments after a few seconds, and his smile looks almost nostalgic when he explains "I'm more on the terrible side, so I appreciate home cooking, but it's been a while since anyone made something especially for me"

"I see! I'm flattered I'm so famous even you heard about it!" Mitsuki laughs, trying to lift Minami's mood just by being contagious, but he's still curious about something and needs to ask "But if it's something as simple as that, why don't you just tell them?"

Once more, Minami is silent save for a sigh and an unintelligible, so-small-it's-almost-inaudible little noise and Mitsuki is even more confused this time, absolutely unable to decipher what that could mean.

"I don't really have a preference in food and I don't want them to stress about it, since I don't know what to say if they ask what I want other than 'nothing at all'" Minami explains, solving the mystery for him soon, a troubled, almost pouty expression on his face.

Mitsuki can't help wanting to make him happy when he sees just how complicated it is for him to ask for things clearly. Something inside him just feels compelled to make Minami smile, and he puts all of his energy in conveying his intentions.

"Okay, then it's settled! I'll surprise you with a personalized bento next time we work together!" Mitsuki makes sure his smile is extra bright, extra energetic, and he even winks when he adds, stressing every word in an attempt to hype Minami up "Something special  _ just _ !  _ For _ !  _ You _ !"

Minami blinks a few times, shocked, before laughing out loud. It doesn't even sound like a mischievous laugh, and that's why Mitsuki is surprised. He'd never heard Minami laugh like that before, and he really has no idea what could have caused it (if so, he wouldn't mind doing it again and again).

"I didn't mean most of that, but thank you very much" Minami clarifies once he stops laughing, sounding surprisingly innocent even as he confesses something as terrible as that, and his smile looks almost as bright as Mitsuki's, his voice still soft but much more cheerful now "I'll look forward to it"

When Mitsuki's jaw drops, Minami kindly explains that he didn't expect Mitsuki to take him seriously, and he was a bit taken aback himself that he fell so hard for a prank, and Mitsuki can't believe it himself considering he knows Minami is a veteran actor.

He supposes he's doomed to falling for actors and their skills, but seeing how happy Minami looked that Mitsuki was willing to do so much for him he knows he can't turn back on his offer. He'll just have to look forward to their next job together now.


	19. Priceless

Mitsuki always tries his best on variety shows, but being paired up with Torao for a ‘homemaking skills challenge’ made him feel like a real team leader. He didn't imagine the guy as someone who was used to or enjoyed following others, so he was a bit surprised until they had a chance to talk off camera.

"You look like you're really skilled in this kind of stuff, Mitsuki" Torao says almost as soon as their break starts, clearly impressed "You're kinda like a housewife"

"What does that even mean?! Guys have to learn this kind of stuff too, you know? Can't just depend on a woman to do it" Mitsuki isn't sure if he's so offended because the comment is so casual or because it's coming from a big manly dude, but he can barely hold back from smacking him, stomping his feet instead "What if you don't have a wife? And even if you did, work distribution is important in a household!"

"I mean, I never said it was a bad thing that you can do all of that" Torao is clearly taken aback, at least mildly intimidated but trying not to show it, and explains himself briefly "I have no idea how to do most of it because of my upbringing, so it's surprising to see someone making it look so easy"

The strategy works and Mitsuki cools down quickly, letting out the last remaining steam with a sigh and putting his hands to his hips.

"Well, if that's it then I can teach you" Mitsuki offers, more calm now, then immediately realizes coordinating both of their schedules semi-frequently would be hard and corrects himself "Or I can at least give you some tips if you want to try"

"It's not like I'll ever need it but maybe those guys would take me more seriously if I learned" Torao looks deep in thought at the proposal, like he's seriously considering the idea, and when Mitsuki raises his eyebrows at him with a confused look, he explains "I mean, I'm the oldest in ZOOL but I'm the youngest in my family, so I don't know anything about being an older brother either. I guess they don't think I look reliable"

The way Torao explains it sounds so natural Mitsuki can't help but consider it, at least briefly. He's not sure just how inexperienced Torao is or isn't at handling housework, but if he's around Nagi's level then he can understand not relying on him for that. And maybe he himself might be embarrassed about seeing kids younger than him be more independent, too...

"Mmm... Well, if you buy now, I can teach you all about the big brother life too for the same price!" Mitsuki jokes, convinced that if Torao  _ wants _ to care for his younger friends he's already on the right track anyway. He winks and puts on his best business smile as he adds "One time offer, no time to think about it! What do you say?"

"Sure, how much is it?" Torao really doesn't take a second to reply, and he sounds so serious about it that Mitsuki can't help choking on his own laughter. He knows he was so loud everyone on the studio turned to look their way at least for a second, but he can't help his reaction.

"That was a joke!! I'm not going to ask for money for something like that?!" Mitsuki can hardly breathe but does his best to calm down so he can talk again.

"No? You'd really do it for free?" Torao looks ridiculously surprised, like it really makes no sense to him. Mitsuki just shakes his head and sighs, letting the last chuckles die down.

"Dude, really..." Mitsuki smiles and pats his shoulder "Just add me on rabbitchat and let's hang out. That's the price"

"That's kinda expensive, but okay" Torao looks smug, smile extremely proud on his face, but he still takes his phone out to exchange contact info.

"... How much is your time worth anyway?" Mitsuki tries to think about it while he shows Torao his rabbitchat handle. When Torao doesn't reply to him, Mitsuki wonders if he heard him, but then  _ the other possibility _ pops into his head as he remembers a few things Sougo said about rich people giving time a lot of monetary value and has to ask "Wait. I don't wanna know, right?"

Torao just shakes his head, smile almost apologetic but still proud, and briefly changes the subject by showing Mitsuki his phone's screen and the sent invite.

Mitsuki can't help the little laugh that escapes him as he accepts the friend request. Whatever worth Torao has, he knows he was going to value the time together no matter what, anyway.


	20. Core glitch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mitsuki/sougo set in mechanical lullaby au (martin/meir)

You'd think Martin, a mailman robot, wouldn't have a lot to do in a city of robots, but his days can end up getting a bit too long. It's not enough to make him run out of battery or anything, of course, it just gets... tiring.

Some days are longer than others, harder than others, and make him feel just a bit drained even when he checks and rechecks his battery levels and he's still okay.

The one thing that never fails to revigorize him is the same that was voted by the citizens of Scordatura as the most dangerous in the world, for some reason.

It's gotten to the point that it's become a habit for him, and his jet feet just end up leading him to Meir's kitchen every time he feels his own artificial mind giving, like it's about to shut down on him for the day.

Meir always looks happy to see him, like he always looks happy to see anyone approach his kitchen. Martin pats his head and thanks him for the hard work today too, and Meir's cheeks turn a delicate shade of pink that lights up all of his face.

But every day Martin drops by, Meir sets a table away all for themselves, and when Martin asks for his order he asks back, with an uncertain tone to his voice "Are you sure?"

Martin is always sure, even though he also knows for a fact that he  _ can't _ stand Meir's own recipes. It doesn't really matter if he can eat all the plate or not - what's important is tasting it.

For some reason, Meir's 'spicy' food makes him feel strangely fired up, in a way he doesn't understand and that everyone thinks is a malfunction or damaging to their systems. Martin knows he can't take it, but no matter how tired he feels, when he eats it he suddenly isn't tired anymore.

When Martin stops coughing, he always laughs out loud for a long while and Meir's eyes look worried at first, until he makes sure Martin really  _ is _ okay and hasn't short-circuited or something.

Martin always thanks him for the food, and Meir's eyes shine brighter than his kitchen's fire every time, quickly replying "Thanks to you, it is my pleasure!"

  
And then Martin feels even more energized, even more fired up, when he sees how blessed and fulfilled Meir feels that his original food can make  _ someone in this city _ happy.


	21. Say hello to this new world

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set in Celestial Pilgrimage AU, this is like... some short character study-ish thing about Carnelian, Mitsuki's role on that event story!

The first time he hears the voice, Carnelian is absolutely sure he imagined it. He's been going through a lot of things, after all - he's recently lost his father, had to undergo a rushed crowning ceremony and has only been Alba's king for a day.

There's too much on his plate, and he's absolutely ready to dismiss it as... emotional instability, probably. He doesn't even want to think about it. It was probably just the wind, anyway.

It doesn't help that the second time is by night, while he was sleeping. Of course, that could be only a dream.

(The same goes for the third, the fourth, the fifth...)

Carnelian is young, and he knows there's many who think this, along with his status as an 'useless prince' growing up doesn't help his case. If he consulted anyone about this, they'd be more than ready to replace him. So, instead, he decides to see what the voice wants from him.

What the voice wants is for him to go into the Star Sphere fragment's room. What the voice wants is for him to take it with him.

What the voice wants is for him to reunite all of the fragments, and it's willing to grant him a wish if he will do it.

Carnelian would be lying if he said he didn't doubt his sanity, or that he didn't freak out when the voice turned louder and clearer, as if it was someone speaking right into his ears.

But the temptation is strong. Just one favour for other, and then, no more problems. No more blood on his hands (in his dreams), no more ruin anywhere.

If it's just that... If that's all it takes to make sure the world is in peace forever...

Carnelian isn't sure if anyone's listening. He doesn't try to talk back because it might make no sense.

But he accepts the deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter tittle is from Viva! Fantastic life!!!!!!!'s lyrics, hope you liked it <3


	22. Endless magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mitsuki/Tenn set in Karatoga AU (Kamaitachi/Kyubi no kitsune)

It's not like Kamaitachi has the slightest idea where he even came from, considering he was already there being a celebrity in Hikagemachi way before Kamaitachi was even born, but one day he just accepted that the mystery surrounding everything Kyubi no kitsune is and does is part of his charm.

Why would a youkai sell human style ramen? Why is this so important but he can't be bothered to prepare it himself when he's the owner of the shop? None of that really matters anyway. Kyubi no kitsune is so magnetic that Kamaitachi can't help wanting to be at his ramen shop all the time, no matter how much attitude that gets him or that he always ends up getting roped into doing the owner's job for him for free (and a part of him tells him he might not be the first or the last one to get caught up in that role).

But Kyubi no kitsune always gets away with whatever it is that he wants, somehow, and when Onibi is born from one of his flames, suddenly and without a warning like most things that come from Kyubi no kitsune, Kamaitachi once again can't help taking a helper's role, following the young youkai around to prevent him from getting into  ~~ serious ~~ trouble or into fights  ~~before he can take care of that properly~~ .

Even long before Onibi manages to adopt a humanoid form, Kamaitachi keeps tabs on him like he was his own child and not Kyubi no kitsune's responsibility (if he wanted to take it, which is... also a mystery for everyone).

Kyubi no kitsune has always had the weirdest sense of humour, but Kamaitachi wouldn't have expected even him to be so casual when he joked about that tendency of following Onibi around...

"Mmm, so you really wanted to have a family with me, Kamaitachi" he says, his voice as enticing as always even when his smile and soft laugh make it obvious that he's just mocking Kamaitachi for being so... hopelessly smitten? Strangely attracted? Naively in love, maybe, with Kyubi no kitsune?

Kamaitachi has no reply to that, somehow surprised that Kyubi no kitsune has the gall to joke about something like that when no one is even sure if he considers Onibi his child or not, if he thinks of Onibi as his family or just something that happened and has no relation to him.

But even though he knows it's a joke, and even if he'd still care for Onibi if it had nothing to do with Kyubi no kitsune, the words still shock him, putting a question in his mind that never leaves him.

And that is the most classic Kyubi no kitsune thing he can think of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter's tittle is from Perfection Gimmick's lyrics bc it had to have a tittle, hope you liked it!


	23. Let's build a rainbow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mitsuyama set in Halloween Grand extermination AU

"So, do you think we'll ever see them again?" Mitsuki stops sewing for a second, his eyes fixated on the little shape of the red plushie he's making from scratch.

"Didn't they say the next time would be in like a thousand years?" Yamato sighs and looks up at him, his smile half apologetic, half nostalgic, like he doesn't want to admit it but misses their fluffy friends too (probably because he doesn't want to admit it but he misses their fluffy friends too).

"Yeah, I don't remember exactly how many years they said but I thought so..." Mitsuki smiles the same smile too, and when his eyes meet Yamato's they both let out a bittersweet laugh at the same time.

"The kids will have to make do with this" Yamato looks at the finished blue plushie in his hands and pouts, uncertain of the reaction the so called kids would have to it.

"Well, I like how they look by now!" Mitsuki pretty much shoves the finished red plushie in Yamato's face with a bright smile to reassure him, and presses the plushie's 'mouth' to Yamato's lips, mock kissing him.

"We still have a few left, though..." Yamato moves his face away from the plushie to look at Mitsuki, frowny and more noticeably pouty, in a way that's so cute there's just no way he realizes the face he's making.

"Don't tell me you're already tired?" Mitsuki picks another half-made plushie and throws it to Yamato, hitting him square in the face as he teases him with a singsong voice "We still have 8 more to go~"

Yamato sighs, exhausted, but he just shrugs and keeps working in silence. When Mitsuki moves closer to him, casually and without saying a thing, Yamato leans on him, almost nuzzling Mitsuki's neck with his hair.

And whether that was intentional or not, it makes Mitsuki so happy he can't be bothered to pretend he doesn't know what he's doing anymore, kissing Yamato's head as loudly and blatantly as he can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter's tittle is from WiSH VOYAGE's lyrics, hope you liked it!


	24. Let's reach for the greatest dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mitsuioriku set in Happy Sparkle Star AU

The stars look beautiful from the peace of the ship’s deck. Even though it's noisy by day, the nights are so quiet Mitsuki almost can't hear anything but his own breathing.

Now that the war with the aliens is over, even if they're still in the middle of the reconstruction of their planets, he can take the time to just relax and look at the stars. The way they blink is not just beautiful, but also a bit mysterious, and Mitsuki can't help it if it invites him to think about all the things that started happening during their search for the Sparkle Stars, things that he didn't have the time to worry about while they were too busy saving the galaxy.

Things such as Iori and Riku very obviously falling in love with each other day by day, night by night, but also leaving the conclusion to that love story for later, for when they finally got the peace to enjoy it.

He can't blame either of them. When Riku saved him and Iori, Mitsuki swore (out loud, and even louder in his heart) that he'd be loyal to him forever, and it wasn't long until he caught himself daydreaming that maybe, _maybe_ , Riku would be the one that finally helped him move on from Iori.

(Mitsuki never found another method, after all, no matter how much he repeated to himself that he had to let that go. No matter how many times he told himself that they're each others' last remaining family, that if Iori didn't feel comfortable with Mitsuki's feelings for him it would ruin everything for them, that the stakes were just too high. That is was just too risky to confess his feelings.)

But instead of falling out of love with Iori and moving on, what happened was they both fell in love with each other, and when it happened Mitsuki barely had to convince himself not to be bitter about it - he loves both of them so much, and they make such a cute couple, that just looking at them being happy after all they've been through makes Mitsuki infinitely happy.

(Mitsuki isn't sure how healthy that is for him. But at least until he finds _the one_ for him, he can avoid feeling hurt if he focuses on how happy his loved ones are together, on just how perfect they are for each other...)

Suddenly, Mitsuki can listen to something else than him and looks up to see Iori and Riku sitting by his side. He greets them, softly, so he won't disturb the rest of the crew, but they look really serious.

"There's something we want to talk about" Iori's voice sounds as formal as always, but there's something off, like something's wrong.

"Sure, what is it?" Mitsuki keeps his voice low and tries to sound reassuring and reliable, but he's a bit curious. It's been a while since the last time either he or Riku looked so troubled and... sad?

"As you know, we've recently started a formal relationship" Iori and Riku are holding hands but Mitsuki realizes it only after he speaks, probably a bit more embarrassed than he wanted to show, making Mitsuki smile at how cute he looks.

"Of course, I congratulated you both" Mitsuki remembers clearly the moment Riku bowed to him and told him he'd take good care of Iori and how shy his little brother looked, like he wanted the earth to swallow him.

"Why didn't you join us?" Riku sounds hurt, and Mitsuki can't believe or understand what he's hearing.

"We've been waiting for you, but you don't seem to want to do it?" Iori follows quickly, before Mitsuki can even process what's going on.

"We don't want to leave you out of this!" Riku says, making a point of showing their intertwined hands, and making it as clear as he can that Mitsuki _is_ hearing what he thinks he's hearing. He doesn't have time to ask for clarification before Riku snaps, though "No matter what, what we don't want is to leave you behind, Mitsuki!"

"What do you mean? Why should I get in between you guys?" Mitsuki is very, very confused, and he can feel the tears he didn't let out ever since the first time he saw the way they smiled to each other finally pooling in his eyes, his voice shaking a bit "I... I just wanted you two to be happy..."

"Don't you get it?" Riku deadpans Mitsuki, but it's hard to ignore how cute his pouty face looks, even when he sounds really dejected.

"We'll only be fully happy with you" Iori offers his free hand for Mitsuki to take, and when he hesitates, Iori holds him, pulling him into a tight hug with Riku.

He wants to cry so bad, and he can feel his shoulders shaking from holding back, but he finally finds the strength to look up to them and smile, finally relieved, finally feeling loved.

He doesn't have to fix his feelings, he doesn't have to find someone else. It's okay to be in love with them.

"I didn't know you wanted this! You could have been more clear?!" Mitsuki scolds them, but it's hard to hold back his laughter. He tries his best so he won't wake everyone up, and he lets out a long sigh to calm himself down, then pats Iori and Riku's heads softly.

"I love both of you so much. Thanks"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter's tittle is from the lyrics of Joker Flag as translated by tumblr user seigyokus, hope you liked it!


	25. To the world we see today

Mitsuki is always doing his best for the sake of his fans, always having a sharp eye during lives to spot their uchiwas and do the fanservice they ask for, and replying as much as he can to their comments on social media, other than just the regular effort on shows and lessons.

He feels proud to know the staff and fellow idols around him notice this, but he still wants to think of more and more ways to show his fans how much he appreciates them, every day, every time he finds a chance, no matter how small.

After all, Mitsuki can't say with words just how happy he feels every time he reads a fan letter, every time he gets to meet his fans up close, every time his birthday comes around and he sees all the effort they make to celebrate him in their own ways (and there's always, always lots of cake - not surprising, but still amazing).

He feels really, really strongly connected to them, to every person that tells him they managed to smile after a hard day thanks to him, that they feel he's cheering on them and can fight through dark times in their lives.

That he's inspiring them to fight for their own dreams.

Mitsuki never wants to disappoint them or hurt them ever. They all look and sound like really sweet people, and sometimes ~~most times, honestly~~ he can't help crying out of happiness when he remembers their interactions.

(Specially when he's all alone in his room, rereading letters or messages on his phone - if he's on his own, he doesn't mind crying for hours, letting himself bawl against his pillow, incredulous that his life is currently _this good_.)

That's why he wants to keep doing his best for them. Because for Mitsuki, his dreams come true every single day he's still an idol, part of IDOLiSH7. Every day that he gets to go out on stage, every day he gets to be on TV, or on radio, or on a studio or even in lessons.

And he wants to share that happiness with the ones that make it possible, as much as he can, in as many ways as he can find.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter's tittle is from Sakura Message's lyrics, hope you liked it!


	26. With the power of that nostalgic song

Mitsuki's dreams started early on in his life, at the tender age of five years old, with the brightest star in the sky. It still feels like a miracle that looking up to Zero led him to where he is now.

And yet, it wasn't a miracle. The life Mitsuki has now is not the product of magic, or an easy cheat. He's had to fight tooth and nail for everything he's got now, for the place he has in IDOLiSH7 and even the place the group has in the show business.

Becoming an idol, and then growing as one, has not been easy for Mitsuki. Even when he finally managed to join an agency as a talent, and then even debut, and he could leave behind the pain of being rejected time and time again, he still had to face hardship after hardship. But fortunately, when those showed up, he wasn't alone anymore.

Even so, it's still hard for Mitsuki to look at himself and say proudly that he deserves what he has today, his place in IDOLiSH7 and his own fanbase, modest and evergrowing as it is. It's not easy to stop comparing himself to others and just think of being himself, especially when it all began by following into the footsteps of the greatest idol in history. Being able to look around at the idols he shares his days with and believe he's on the same level is the hardest challenge Mitsuki has ever faced.

And somehow, it all lead to Mitsuki crying his eyes out, unable to stop shaking in his room at Takanashi Productions' dorms, as he reads a letter from one of his fans: a kid who says he wants to be an idol when he grows up to be like Mitsuki.

There's little to no words he can use to explain how he feels, how powerful and moving it is for him to learn this. Just how validating this is for him, how surprisingly inspiring it is to be someone else's inspiration.

Mitsuki doesn't think he can ever imagine how Zero felt about being the greatest idol the world has known yet, and it gets even harder when he dares wonder why he disappeared the way he did. He's not sure why things had to happen like that, but he does know that for him, for Mitsuki Izumi from IDOLiSH7, this is his reason to keep going.

Because while part of him thinks  _ 'this is it, this is all I've ever wanted' _ , another (bigger) part of him thinks  _ 'this is just the start of everything I've ever wanted' _ . This is just one person, one Mitsuki appreciates infinitely, but he's not going to stop. If he can inspire others, he will keep going on as far as he can.

That's why, someday, Mitsuki still wants to thank Zero for showing him the ultimate dream. For making him wish he could be what he finally is today, for making him fight for the happiness he holds in his hands now.

He's so much more than just Zero's fan now. But in his heart, he's still the parting point of all he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter's tittle from the lyrics of Mikazuki no veil as translated by tumblr user ioasaya, hope you liked it!


	27. These irreplaceable memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mitsuio set in celestial pilgrimage AU (carnelian/coda). also, warning for nonexplicit sex

Carnelian sighs when he sees the table set and the tea steaming in the cups. It's set only for two and there's no signs of Lazu, which only makes him more and more anxious.

He knows the conversation is happening again. Coda is too invested in making sure Carnelian rethinks his retirement, making him partly glad that they don't meet in person that often - he feels too cornered when Coda reminds him that this quiet life he leads now is not taking responsibility for his mistakes but rather running away. That what he should be doing, as Alba's rightful king, is ruling.

His people are asking for him to step up and go back to the palace, he knows that. Coda is not the only one who has brought this issue up, talked to him about the things albans comment to each other on the streets.

But it's not just that he doesn't want to go back to being a king after having a taste of a quiet life. The most important thing for Carnelian is that his life with Coda, their relationship, is just starting. He wants to focus in it now that he has the time, and he knows he won't have as many chances to enjoy life together if he goes back to the life of a king. 

"What are you talking about?" Coda frowns at him from behind his tea cup when he hears the real reason Carnelian keeps putting this off, postponing the inevitable as long as he can. His voice sounds almost harsh as he adds "You do know I have my own responsibilities to attend to, right?"

Maybe something in Carnelian's face makes him realize how stern and cold he sounded, because he immediately moves one of his hands to sit over Carnelian's, and smiles softly, voice sweet "I'm sorry. I mean what I said, but I'll support you no matter what"

"You say that, but you can't seem to let go of this no matter how many times I say 'no'" Carnelian sighs, dramatic, and Coda almost looks regretful, but he taps the tip of his nose with a finger and smiles to let him know he's joking.

Coda is about to stand up and retaliate, mildly offended but mainly playful, when Carnelian speaks again, finally saying what he's been expecting for years now.

"It might be time for me to go back to work, even I know that much" Carnelian tries his best not to sound too scared, even though he still feels awful every time he thinks of the palace, of the Star Fragment room, of all the events that most people have already started to leave behind but still haunt him. He holds both of Coda's hands in his and looks right into his eyes, seeing the earnest wish to just be there for him, for anything he might need, and pleads "But, please, stay with me for one more night"

Coda looks a bit surprised and Carnelian hopes it's not just because he's still not used to being this close to a king, neither is Carnelian very used to asking for things nicely so Coda rarely hears the word 'please' from him. Regardless of the reason, Coda nods shyly, and without a word stands up to hold Carnelian.

Every time they make love, it ends up being really sweet and tender, despite the fact that both of them are passionate about each other on an almost ridiculous level. All things considered, it's a bit surprising for Carnelian how, even after a few years together (even if theirs  _ is _ a mostly long distance relationship), Coda is still pretty shy about physical intimacy... at least at first: he lets go of himself quite easily when Carnelian undresses him and prepares him, content just to devour Carnelian with his eyes. Coda's flushed cheeks and heaving body are just as much of a treat for Carnelian, always happy to make the best of their time together, always attentive to Coda's reactions to shower him with love.

(After all, this is a relationship he never thought he'd get to have, one Carnelian had already mourned for. Coda's body under his on the bed they share every time he visits is a miracle in itself to Carnelian - he doesn't need anything else than that, so he's more than glad to give Coda anything  _ he _ needs.)

"So, will you really...?" Coda starts, carefully, when they finally move into their after sex cuddle time. He obviously doesn't want to upset Carnelian after such a nice couple time, but he might be a bit incredulous, not wanting to get his hopes up.

"Next time we spend the night together, we'll spend it in the palace" Carnelian makes a point of looking straight into Coda's eyes to show off his determination, and makes a short pause to kiss Coda's nose lightly, just for a second, before he smiles as reassuring as he can "I promise"

Every night with Coda is magic, and even though this is a morning it's no exception even when Carnelian has to reassure him that he will be okay in the royal chamber, in a king's bed, until he finally calms down when Carnelian starts petting his ears.

When they get up again and part once more, Carnelian's heart finally feels at peace, ready to end the long truce with his responsibilities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter's tittle is from MEMORiES MELODiES' lyrics, hope you liked it!


	28. I don't need a reason

"Well, it's not like we're doing anything wrong anyway"

Iori crosses his arms and frowns, immediately turning defensive when Mitsuki brings up the issue once more. He doesn't want to make Iori feel bad, especially when he's right: the agreement they reached was anyone in IDOLiSH7 is fair game. After all, they're all in a polyamorous relationship and, as such, technically they're not doing anything wrong. But Mitsuki doesn't want to hide around either.

It's just that they don't know how to tell the rest of their partners, and even though they've been talking a lot about this lately they've yet to find a solution that makes them both happy.

"I don't mean it as in,  _ 'we're cheating' _ " Mitsuki tries not to sound too angry when he's only mildly exasperated with Iori's argument, but he knows he probably doesn't look calm right now "I just think it's best we talk about it in our own terms rather than letting them find out on their own"

Iori gasps visibly, but tries to act strong. They know very well that it  _ will _ be shocking for the rest when they learn about it, there's no denying that. After all, Mitsuki still remembers how this came as a surprise even for him, when Iori started subtly hinting at having feelings for him, then went and said it explicitly. He still remembers how it left him at a lost for words for a while, until he came to terms with his own feelings for Iori.

Both of them know their relationship is not an easy one, and that as much as Mitsuki wants to trust their 'polycule' (like Nagi calls this big thing they have with IDOLiSH7) it's unfair to expect them to accept it just like that, no questions asked.

"And what are you going to tell them?" Iori purses his lips in that way that Mitsuki hates, the one that tells him he's going to be stubborn about this. Even if he tries to sound logical and rational, he curls more into his own body as he states "If they dislike this, I don't think there's anything you can say to convince them to change their mind"

"I know that! And just so you know, I don't think they'll hate us" Mitsuki can almost feel himself losing control, gesticulating wildly before crossing his arms and glaring at Iori "But I know what  _ you _ would do and I don't like it"

"I'm just going to tell them the truth" Iori glares back, clearly shaking but trying to hide it.

"It's not your fault and not your responsibility" Mitsuki shoots back at record speed, already used to the back and forth of arguing with Iori.

"I'm not going to let anyone blame you when I was the one who started this" Iori looks so upset Mitsuki almost feels bad. But only almost - he can't hold back anymore when he hears Iori say that.

"That doesn't matter!" Mitsuki finally snaps, but he takes a deep breathe to calm down and puts his hands on Iori's shoulders, squeezing a bit to calm  _ him _ down. His voice softens but it's more firm than ever "Iori, if only one of us has to take responsibility for this it's me, not you"

"But…!"

"If you don't want that, you can accept us taking equal blame, then" Mitsuki negotiates, pushing Iori down until their foreheads are touching, and he winks playfully as he closes the debate with a smile "But I'm not letting you act cool on your own"

Iori is silent for a second, for just long enough to stabilize his breathe and his voice, and when he speaks, softly, he isn't shaking anymore.

"... Do we really need to?" Iori whispers, averting his eyes, where Mitsuki can see the hint of tears barely starting to form, and covering his mouth with a hand.

"Not if you're not ready yet" Mitsuki smiles and sighs, overtaken by a sweetness he only ever feels for Iori, a reminder of his protective instincts from when they were little. He cups Iori's face with his hands, letting the adoration fill his voice, and lets his heart speak "But one day we should. Not just because we owe them at least that much, but because if they support us we won't be alone in this anymore"

And Mitsuki can see in Iori's eyes (the way they shake but don't look away from his) that that's what Mitsuki needed to say to convince him. Iori is scared, of course, and understandably - Mitsuki is terrified himself. They  _ will _ have to hide this relationship anyway, but having to hide from the public is not the same as having to keep it a secret in their own home and from their own shared lovers.

When he hugs Iori, as tight as he can, as if he could make his racing heart calm down like that, he knows he'll need more time... but they're finally on the same page.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter's tittle is from Mr. AFFECTiON's lyrics, hope you liked this!


	29. PARTY TIME TOGETHER

"You guys are joining the appreciation month this time?"

Mitsuki didn't expect to see ZOOL in the meeting room, where they gathered with TRIGGER and Re:vale to talk about the MTK Appreciation Month on the first day of march.

"If you'll have us" Minami smiles, voice soft and polite, while the rest of ZOOL look a bit shy but try to play cool, all nodding like kids meeting their friends parents for the first time.

"Well then, welcome!" Momo tries to get them all on track to actually start the meeting, but he takes the chance to tease the newcomers, winking as he warns "Hope you're ready to do _anything_ because these appreciation months can get wild!"

"So, Mitsuki-kun" Yuki steps in too, trying to be helpful as he picks a marker and turns to the whiteboard, but he can't help the teasing tone in his voice "Do you have any ideas?"

"Mmm… All I have by now is that I want Iori to call me 'onii-chan' again" Mitsuki smiles, wide and bright, remembering the first MTK Appreciation Month fondly.

Iori's face turns a dangerous shade of red in an instant, and Haruka lets out a short but loud laugh at that while Tamaki pats Iori's head and comments "Aren't you glad, Iorin. So lucky~"

"Well, you kids are the same age so maybe join him?" Mitsuki interjects quickly, looking forward to their reactions to that, and when he sees Haruka getting flustered and Tamaki actually looking attentive he can't help insisting "Try calling me Mitsuki-nii!"

"Mikki-nii!!" Tamaki yells, ~~audibly~~ visibly excited, making a fun contrast with Haruka's barely-there, shyly mumbled 'Mitsuki-nii'. They're both so adorable Mitsuki can't help patting both of their heads, making sure to reassure Iori with a loving smile too.

"Do you want anything from us, Mitsuki??" Riku looks eager to please, excited that Mitsuki already started making demands and wanting to get told to do something himself.

"Mmm… Isn't is about time you guys introduce me to your families?" Mitsuki turns to look at his groupmates and shakes his head when he elaborates on his reasoning "Since all of you know our parents at this point"

"Oh? I don't, though" Yuki comments, curious, blatantly ignoring that Mitsuki was clearly speaking only about IDOLiSH7.

"Isn't that because you don't buy sweets often?" Yamato butts in, not even caring to point out the misunderstanding.

"Right, if you want to meet them all you have to do is go to _fonte chocolat_!" Momo laughs, patting Yuki's shoulder energically.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to introduce any of you to my family yet, so I apologize in advance is it's impossible" Sougo looks truly apologetic, and, as formal as usual, bows his head to Mitsuki. He isn't having that today, though, and manually makes him raise his head.

"Well, that's fine! Maybe you can write a song for my birthday, then?" he suggests, doing his best to offer a way for Sougo to make up or it, especially considering Mitsuki wasn't expecting him to be able to comply.

Sougo looks flustered, and Mitsuki isn't sure if he's just shy because he's still too new to composing or because Mitsuki had to give him another option, but Yuki smiles, interested, and asks "Can I do that too? We don't have a lot of time until your birthday, but if it's you I think I know the kind of vibe it should have"

Even though Mitsuki's happy to know that Yuki knows him enough to write a song for him in such short time, it also reminds him that two days is too soon, so he proposes "I guess I don't mind even if it's just an arrangement of the happy birthday song?"

"That sounds too easy, but, would you mind if I try composing something myself, too?" Minami looks surprisingly excited, a smile much like Yuki's, soft but visibly interested in the subject. It's so endearing Mitsuki can't help patting his head.

"Well, since there's not much time maybe you guys can work together" Mitsuki proposes, making sure the reactions he gets aren't too negative and he isn't offending anyone.

"I'd be honoured, but I wonder if I'm on their level…" Sougo looks nervous, but Mitsuki can see his eyes are sparkling.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. This sounds fun" Yuki's smile is also dazzling, very much looking forward to the task.

"A collab sounds hard, but since it's Ousaka-san and Yuki-san, I'll take the challenge" Minami sounds pretty confident, but Mitsuki can't help chuckling at how anxious he looks behind that.

"Can I make the choreo?" Tamaki chirps in, energetic and loud.

"Can I help Tamaki-kun?" Ryunosuke laughs softly, endeared by Tamaki's enthusiasm, and offers himself up too.

"Yeah, sure, you guys are in charge of that then!" Mitsuki gives the two thumbs up, starting to get fired up himself.

"This is giving me flashbacks to Friends Day but okay" Yuki sighs and sounds a bit weak, but when Momo pats his head he snuggles on him so Mitsuki knows he'll survive.

"So you're really planning all of this without consulting with our managers, huh" Tenn comments, casually, and Gaku shrugs.

"I don't think they'll mind, right?" Gaku looks around, checking if the rest of the group agrees.

"Maybe we can leave it as something private, then" Torao proposes nonchalantly, but the way he winks at Mitsuki is anything but modest. He changes the subject swiftly by asking "Is there anything special you want for your birthday party?"

After a noisy deliberation about the party (which Mitsuki eventually ends by asking that they surprise him), he ends up making everyone but the composers and choreographers draw sticks to divide the tasks. There's even more noise in the room after the draw, making it difficult to focus on one conversation over the other in the middle of the chaotic chatter, and Mitsuki has to admit he's a bit lost after just a minute or two of that.

But he also knows this noisy crowd makes him feel more alive than anything else and he wouldn't have it any other way.

He tells Tsumugi all about it when he rabbitchats with her by night, after a quick _'Did the guys tell you about the meeting?'_

Tsumugi's reaction as soon as she's updated on their plans is quick and comes in short separate messages, cutting Mitsuki's ringtone one after the other in rapid sucession.

_'Mitsuki-san, could it be'_

_'You just asked them to do things that will make them work together?'_

_'This really feels just like the first MTK Appreciation Month!!!!'_

Mitsuki can't help laughing out loud that she caught up with his intentions so quickly, and sends a flirty comment to throw her off a bit:

_'Woah, you know me so well, Tsumugi-chan~! ৲( ᵕ ૩ᵒ )৴♡'_

Tsumugi's reaction (the long alternation of 'Tsumugi is typing' and nothing, followed by a too-short-for-that-much-time-thinking-a-reply _'Mitsuki-san!!!!!'_ ) gives Mitsuki a good laugh, but he spares her and instead replies only _'Please keep it a secret'_

Tired after the busy day, Mitsuki plops down on his bed and looks at the ceiling, smiling, while he waits for her answer. He's _so_ looking forward to his birthday party.


	30. First love rhythm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: here be mentions of masturbation (zero/mitsuki)

Mitsuki doesn't often have the chance for solo intimacy, but when his day off doesn't match with anyone else's, he dedicates at least a little time in the morning to… unwind. Relieve some stress.

And, of course, if he's not motivated by an specific person and an specific scenario, he always defaults to a certain fantasy he's had ever since the first time he touched himself.

He looks up to the ceiling, right over his bed, where a rather sensual poster of Zero looks back at him, and puts his headphones on to play his selection of the most adult-ish songs the legendary idol has in his discography.

He lets Zero's sultry voice seduce him, turn him on little by little, as he strokes himself lazily. He remembers Zero's smile when they met, how different his voice sounded when speaking and, especially, in person. He remembers Zero's kindness and imagines him coaxing him sweetly, caressing his body softly, peppering his skin with featherlight kisses and occasionally sucking on it carefully, more like an open mouthed kiss than anything else, so he won't leave marks (Mitsuki is an idol, after all, Zero understands that).

Mitsuki imagines Zero being surprised at how much he's grown, how attractive he looks now as an adult, how defined his muscles feel to the touch. He can't help a loud gasp as he imagines Zero casually commenting how thick his dick is, how eager it looks, and he moans out loud as he pictures Zero kissing the tip softly. It's just a short peck but it leaves Mitsuki shaking as Zero opens his legs and kisses his inner thighs while he prepares him.

Mitsuki's fingers (both the ones fisted around his shaft and the ones that are too busy massaging his insides) don't need to do much - he pretty much lives for this fantasy. Just the idea of Zero taking him would be enough for him to cum even if he couldn't touch himself at all.

Every time he treats himself and entertains his fantasies, he's always torn between wanting this daydream to last longer and wanting to cum  _ so bad _ . But he still drives himself to his climax, imagining Zero asking him to cum for him, and when he does it feels really intense. His heart beats faster than it does after hours dancing and yet his mind still has the gall to imagine Zero calling him a good boy while he squeezes all of his cum out and cleans him.

It takes Mitsuki a while to come back to his senses, to reality, like always. He changes the playlist for a few kinder, relaxing songs and lets himself enjoy the music until he feels like getting dressed again to get up and go on with the rest of the day.


	31. I'm glad we met

Even though he was warned and saw them pointing them at him, Mitsuki can't help being a bit startled at the seven party poppers shooting for his face.

"Thank you!" he laughs, sure than his surprised face must have looked funny but unable to care about it.

"One last time, happy birthday month!" all of IDOLiSH7 and their manager bow to Mitsuki, Tamaki taking the chance to pick some confetti from the floor and throw it up again, quickly getting copied by Riku and Nagi.

"We did a lot of things for MTK Appreciation Month but today's the last day…" Riku sighs, looking too nostalgic for something so trivial. Mitsuki pats his head and hugs him, taking a moment to look back at all the events of the month himself.

"It was really fun! Thanks!" Mitsuki nods, his hands on his hips before he knows "But we have to start planning TMK Appreciation Month. Since we don't have much left until Tamaki's birthday"

Tamaki smiles and puffs his chest out smugly, but Yamato stops them both on their tracks without a second of hesitation "Yeah, but march isn't over yet"

"Yeah Mikki, we're still not done spoiling you!" Tamaki agrees, but he still looks so excited about both his upcoming birthday and appreciation month that Mitsuki can't help focusing on him again.

"Okay, then my last request for Tamaki is that he makes a list of things he wants me to bake for him next month!" Mitsuki points at Tamaki and pokes his chest, looking as authoritative as he can "Deadline iiiis~! Midnight today!"

"Yes sir!" Tamaki straightens his back and responds as seriously as he can, but suddenly goes back to his usual childish behaviour when he gets doubts about the task "Wait, can I update it later if I think more things?"

"Yeah, sure" Mitsuki shrugs, not even pretending to think about it.

"Mitsuki-san, is there anything else you want from any of us?" Tsumugi looks excited as she takes out a notebook and pen. It's so sudden Mitsuki can't help finding it funny.

"Yeah, Mitsuki, what else can we do for you before the month is over?" Riku joins her soon, without pocket-sized stationary but with too much determination burning in his eyes, and Mitsuki can't hold back a little laugh when he sees Nagi about to insist too.

"I mean, no matter how much I think you've already done all I wanted?" he interrupts before Nagi can start some moving rant and convince everyone to do some exaggerated thing Mitsuki doesn't need. When he feels all eyes on him, he smiles and tries "I'm just happy we're all here together. I guess I'd like it if you guys could say 'I love you' to me again"

"Can't you think of something else, Niisan? Iori sounds embarrassed, but still tries to sound rational "We already did that for all our birthdays"

Mitsuki can't help finding Iori cute and ruffles his hair affectionately "It never gets old!"

"I guess it's a bit embarrassing, but I understand why Mitsuki-san likes it so much" Sougo looks a bit flustered too, but he smiles shyly.

"Understood! If that's what Mitsuki-san wants, line up!" Tsumugi commands, and no one has the courage to complain. Soon, they're all taking a deep breathe and preparing their voices to yell in unison.

"To Mitsuki: I love you!"

Mitsuki can't hold all his happiness and laughs out loud, feeling really lucky to have all of them in his life. To be able to share this month and every day with them.

He takes in a deep breathe himself and puts all his love in his voice, in a loud yell for them.

"I love you too!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter's tittle is from My friend's lyrics, hope you liked it!
> 
> also, thank you very much to everyone who read, left kudos and followed this project! I still can't believe I completed it but at least it gave me something to do during quarantine AND a way to remember what day it is lol
> 
> so yeah, hope you enjoy the whole month! and once more: happy birthday, Mitsuki!!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm starting another monthly challenge and I sure hope I can complete this one too because Mitsuki deserves it so much!! The work's tittle is from Monster Generation's lyrics, ofc. Look forward to Mitsuki x everyone please~!


End file.
